Transformers 4: Branding of the Neutrals
by Captain Arianna Trouble
Summary: Sequel to Return to Cybertron. With Decepticons battling amongst themselves for power, the Autobots have focused on repairing Cybertron. Yet peace can only last so long, especially when some don't want the war to ever stop. Post-ROTF, SamxMikaela.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. If I did, the next movie would just be Optimus Prime talking and fighting.

A/N: This is a direct sequel to Transformers 3: Return to Cybertron. It'll help to read that first, but not 100% necessary...

Transformers 4: Branding of the Neutrals

Prologue

_I am Optimus Prime… I send this message to others of my kind…taking refuge among the stars…we are here…we are waiting… _

_Cybertron has been given new life, and with it our species has a new chance. Many of us have found homes on Earth, where we hide in plain sight. For those willing to take up disguises, Earth awaits. For others, return to our home world is now possible. Though worlds apart, we can come together once again. _

_Until all are one._

This was the message heard throughout the universe. The planet of Cybertron had been given a second chance. Somehow, miraculously, the human Sam Witwicky had found the secret to bringing the planet back on line by combining the sparks of Primus and Unicron with the Matrix of Leadership.

Ever since, Autobots had slowly been returning to the planet. Occasionally a Decepticon would also turn up, and depending on their loyalty they would either leave again or join Starscream's small faction.

The greatest triumph was the return on Cybertron's many 'neutrals'. Mostly comprised of civilians, these mechs and femmes had left in order to escape the war. Although that threat still loomed, many had opted to return to their home world. Slowly, the planet was becoming a reflection of what it had once been.

Yet some bots were not pleased with these developments. Specifically, that Cybertron was under Autobot control. Some were willing to do whatever was possible in order to shift the balance back in favor of the Decepticons.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Michael Bay, feel free to call me about that.

A/N: Alexis Witwicky is an OC from Return to Cybertron. She is Sam's cousin and friends with Starscream.

Chapter 1

Alexis Witwicky took a deep breath. The fresh air filled her lungs, relaxing her. For some reason, these meetings with Starscream made her tense. She figured it was habit; these meetings were once done only in secret, when she could slip away from her dad and Starscream from the other Decepticons.

Their encounters were still few and far between. Alexis was busy with schoolwork and her boyfriend while Starscream was keeping tight control over the Decepticons-turned-Autobots. So every few weeks they would find a night where they could get together and talk. It was almost therapeutic for both. Alexis would complain about a tough class while Starscream would explain the latest developments with Cybertron. It was unusual, but it was habit.

Cresting a small hill, Alexis squinted through the darkness at the field below. This was where she and Starscream had been meeting, as it was relatively safe for the former Decepticon to transform into his more comfortable robot mode. However, she couldn't see him.

"Typical. Late for his own appointment," Alexis muttered, taking out her cell phone. Holding up the small screen, she scanned the ground for any sign of the jet. Over by the trees there was a dark mound, one that had not been there at their last encounter. The thing looked gray in the dim moonlight and a wave of fear washed over Alexis.

"No," she whispered before running over. "No, no, no…"

Lying in pieces, almost mangled beyond recognition, was Starscream. His red optics were off, and Alexis feared the worst. She smacked the bot on what should have been his chest.

"Starscream, wake up! Come on, where's the immortal spark you're always bragging about?" Alexis ran over to where Starscream's face was resting. "Get up, get up!"

Slowly, the familiar red optics lit up. A harsh wheeze escaped his vocal processors, but the teen couldn't understand what he was attempting to say.

"What did this? Who did this? Starscream!"

"Run," Starscream finally managed to cough. Before the human could even process his words, a force yanked her from the earth.

Unable to breath in the bot's tight grip, Alexis struggled to get free. Tentacles wrapped around her, forming a tight cocoon. Suddenly she was face to face with scarlet optics. When the Decepticon spoke, it was in a heavily layered voice, as if processed by a computer.

"Human: identify."

"Hell no." The tentacles tightened. "Okay, okay. Alexis Witwicky. I'm Alexis Witwicky."

"Transmit message to Autobot leader: return Megatron to the Decepticons. Failure will result in human termination."

Alexis screamed. All over her body, the tentacles had started shocking her. But the cause of her scream was the one that had started cutting into her stomach. She had never been good around blood, and she knew that unconsciousness was rapidly overtaking her.

"You will comply. Torture will cease with agreement."

"Fine, fine, I'll do it." Alexis coughed for air as the tentacles squeezed harder. "Stop..." Her last memory before black was the sound of her own bones breaking.

Soundwave dropped the human girl onto his former comrade. He was annoyed at how quickly she had fallen unconscious. He had hardly been able to complete his interaction. A splutter caught his attention and he observed Starscream cough up some energon. It pleased him to see the traitor in such pain. He would have preferred to terminate the jet, but if the human girl failed to awaken then Starscream was the only one who could pass along the message.

In all his years, Soundwave had always been loyal to Megatron. After much eavesdropping and spying, he had discovered that the Decepticon Lord was reborn on Cybertron and was now being raised by the Autobots. He needed to discover where his master was being held so that he could restore his master to his former position. By threatening the humans, he was certain the Autobots would comply.

Before departing, he sent out a general distress signal. It was on a frequency Soundwave knew the Autobots would have, and it would only be a matter of time before they discovered the jet and girl. Once they did, his message would be clear.

Soundwave was in charge, and nothing would stop him from finishing his mission.

* * *

Major William Lennox tightened his boots. The NEST team had received an SOS about thirty minutes earlier, and they were now headed out into the Pennsylvania countryside in order to figure out who sent it. The Autobots were hoping that it was a wayward Cybertronian who had arrived, but they couldn't be sure from the message. It was a little too close to Sam's college for comfort, so they'd made sure to bring a few extra Autobots in case it was a Decepticon trap.

When the soldiers arrived, Lennox swore at what he saw. He turned to Robert Epps, but the Master Sergeant was a step ahead of him, calling for medics over his radio. Ironhide transformed to survey the very damaged Starscream.

"His spark is still intact, but that's about the only thing." While the mech was distracted by the carnage, Will noticed a much smaller form slumped on the ground. His eyes went wide with recognition.

"Medic here!" Lennox waved over the first one he saw, heading towards the form. He prayed the girl was only unconscious, and he waited anxiously for the medic to check Alexis Witwicky over.

"She's lost a lot of blood. Feels like some broken bones."

The major stopped listening. Anger was rising like bile in his throat. He remembered when Sam and Mikaela had been on the battlefield and how he had feared for their safety, but this was something different. They had known they were entering danger. Hell, Sam and Mikaela practically looked for it. From the looks of this, Starscream and Alexis had been ambushed. After nearly nine months of peace, the Decepticons had restarted the war, and they'd started by trying to kill a girl who was nothing more than a child. Lying there, she almost reminded Lennox of his own daughter.

"Epps, get me Optimus on the line," the major ordered. For once, the sergeant didn't have any jokes or comments. He had children of his own, and this was affecting him as much as it was Will. The Decepticons had never really honored the rules of war, but they had never expected something like this. Starscream, one of the fiercest fighters, was as good as dead. Alexis was nothing more than a human ragdoll with half a pulse.

"Optimus, we got a problem."

* * *

A/N: So, I have no idea what inspired the violence of this chapter. Maybe I need a shrink…


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. *Cries* Thank goodness for comfort foods.

A/N: I hope this chapter will lighten the tone I set last time. I didn't intend for it to be so dark, but I just had a very clear image going.

Chapter 2

Sam Witwicky was trying his hardest not to fall asleep in class. It shouldn't have been that big of a problem, except the lecture hall was too damn _warm_. It was as if the professor wanted his students to drift off. Why else would he set the thermostat at 80 degrees at 8 in the morning?

The professor in question, an older man with a shock of white hair, was writing something on the blackboard. Sam considered copying it down but he decided against it. The terms on the boar (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic) were the exact same ones he had learned a few years earlier in a high school science class. Sam was glad he had decided to take Geology 101. Even though it was redundant and boring, it would help bolster his GPA.

Trying to find a distraction to keep him awake, Sam looked at the other students. One guy in the front row was hanging on the professors' every word, but everyone else looked as tired as Sam felt. It seemed that college kids weren't really that into rocks anymore.

Just as Sam felt that he was going to finally loose his battle with sleep, a vibrating jolted him back into awareness. Muffling his phone with his hand, Sam glanced down to check the ID. He was a little surprised to see it was a text message from his Autobot guardian, Bumblebee.

Since Bumblebee had been allowed to stay with Sam, he had quickly realized that text messages were a great way to communicate while in his car mode. In situations where the radio wouldn't suffice, the cell phone worked fine. Bee often got lonely while Sam was in class, so there were plenty of days where the two exchanged little messages of 160 characters or less. More than once Sam had burst out laughing in the middle of class after Bee shared some funny story about scaring squirrels or messing with the other Autobots.

This text, however, was very unsettling.

_Outside. Now. _

Quietly gathering up his books, Sam looked around the lecture hall. The professor hadn't turned around in nearly ten minutes, so he doubted he'd get in any trouble there. Plenty of kids just went in and out of their classes without saying a word, so no one would think twice if he took off without saying a word. Lecture halls were especially easy to get out of, since the professors rarely learned the names of any of the students. The only problem he faced was that he was sitting in the middle of the row, with ten students seated on either side of him. They would _definitely_ notice him leaving.

Sam carefully stood up, clutching his bag close to his chest. The last thing he needed was for all his classmates to hate him for smacking them with his hundred-pound backpack. Some were still a little weird around him due to 'the incident' over a year earlier. No one had been quick to forget that he was the kid that the FBI and CIA was looking for after the satellite hacking. Thankfully the US government had concocted some cock and bull story to explain it all away.

"'Excuse me, 'scuse me," Sam muttered. The other students glared at him as he wove his way through the maze of backpacks and legs. They didn't appreciate being woken up from their own naps, and several made Sam climb over their seats rather than allow him to pass. It was while jumping over a particularly annoyed jock that the professor noticed what was going on.

"Young man, class is not over. What are you doing?" Sam gulped as he tried to think of an excuse other than 'my car needs me'.

"I need to, um-"

"Take your seat. You'll have to wait like everyone else."

"It's just that I'm so inspired!" Sam quickly lied. "I mean, I want to _see_ the rocks. I want to feel the difference between rocks formed by lava and those formed by water. I need to _feel_ them. It all seems so spiritual, like some grand design."

The professor seemed to be thrown by the fact that a student was talking with such passion about geology. His brief confusion gave Sam the time he needed to escape.

Parked on the grass outside of the science building was a bright yellow Camaro. Very few students paid heed to it, having grown used to the unusual vehicle over the past school year. Those who did gawk quickly stopped when they received a harsh glare from the passenger in the vehicle. No one wanted to be on the receiving end of one of Mikaela Banes' stares.

After her father had been completely stable, Mikaela had moved into a cheap apartment near campus in order to be near to her fiancé. For once, though, she didn't look happy to see the love of her life sit down next to her in the driver's seat. In fact, she couldn't even make eye contact with him. Instead, she just fiddled with the engagement ring she wore around her neck. She had tried wearing it on her finger, but she had to take it off too often when working with oil and grease at the shop where she worked.

"Mikaela, what's going on?" Sam had his eyes on the road, even though Bumblebee was in complete control. He studied his fiancée, but she continued to avoid his gaze. "Mikaela?"

"There was a Decepticon attack last night." Mikaela finally admitted.

"What, where? How bad was it?"

"It was here. A few miles out of the city. It was…pretty bad."

"Mikaela, who was it?" Sam tightened his grip on Bee's steering wheel. He knew that Mikaela's reluctance to answer had to mean someone was really hurt…or dead.

"It was Starscream. Ratchet is going to remove his spark and put it into a protoform in order to save him."

"So he'll be okay?"

"Yeah."

There was silence in the car. Bumblebee didn't dare to play any songs. He knew that the full truth was about to come out soon.

"So if he's alright, what's with you?"

"He wasn't alone."

"Then who was with him?" Silence. "Mikaela-"

"Alexis was there."Sam's heart skipped a beat at hearing his cousin's name. "The doctor's managed to stabilize her, but she's pretty beat up."

"What does 'pretty beat up' mean here? Bruises, broken bones, decapitation, what?"

Mikaela bit her lip. "Broken bones. A couple ribs, her arm. And she might have been electrocuted."

"And the Decepticon who did it is offline, right?"

"We don't know who did it yet, Sam. Starscream can't really communicate and Alexis hasn't woken up."

"Shit." Sam rubbed his eyes. "We're going straight to the hospital, right?"

"A military one. That way the doctors won't ask questions about her injuries."

"Does her dad know?"

"He's being flown in with your parents, Sam."

"My parents? Why are they coming?"

"They're worried about another attack. Basically, we're all getting a one-way trip to Diego Garcia until NEST figures out what's going on."

Sam dragged his hands across his face. For nearly ten months there had been peace and now it was over. He'd almost made it a full year without being dragged back into all this.

Mikaela leaned over to take his hand. "It's going to be fine, Sam. We knew there were still some Decepticons out there. The Autobots will take care of it."

_I'm gonna start a fight. Nanananana-nana-nananana-na-na. We're all gonna get in a fight!_

"That's right, Bee. You and me against all the Decepticons. We'll teach them for messing with our planet."

As the drive continued, neither the teens nor the Autobot were aware of the satellite tracking them. It followed their progress, and when they reached their destination it rejected a metallic object from one of its chambers. The object floated for a moment before making its way into Earth's atmosphere, its trajectory sending it straight to the military hospital where the teens had just arrived.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. I do own my imagination.

A/N: To Lord Destroyer: Kicker (aka Chad Jones) is the boyfriend mentioned earlier by Alexis. I just realized that I forgot to add his name there. As for Rad…We'll see.

Chapter 3

James Witwicky had been to the hospital 7 times since he was born. Considering that he was three months old, this wasn't exactly a good thing. The first time had been the only normal trip. After having the umbilical cord cut and being made into a 'baby burrito', as Sam called it, the doctors had sent the youngest Witwicky home with his proud parents. Two days later, Judy had taken James back because he wasn't crying. She brought him back the next day when he wouldn't stop crying. Their last visit a few days earlier was because James weighed only 12 pounds when Sam had weighed 16 at the same age. Almost anything out of the ordinary resulted in a trip to the pediatrician.

The baby might not have been able to communicate, but he seemed to already understand that his mother was crazy. Since he was helpless to do anything about it, James did the only thing he could.

"Ah goo."

"That's right! Ah goo! Ah goo to you, too!" Judy was practically squealing with delight. Ron just rolled his eyes. As much as he loved his new son, he didn't love the reactions he evoked from his wife. There was already enough baby talk with the two dogs, and now he could hardly have a full conversation with Judy without her digressing into 'nonsense words'.

Watching with an amused look was a man in a military uniform. He looked a lot like Ron, except a few years older and in better shape. His name was Benjamin Witwicky, and he was Alexis' father. More accurately, he was Alexis' very pissed off father.

"I need to shoot something," he mumbled.

"You could probably transfer to the alien division," Ron said, taking a seat next to his older brother on the hospital bench. "They could use a good colonel."

"You'd really like Ironhide," Judy piped up, setting James down in his carrier for a nap. "He's got cannons the size of an obese football player."

There was a chuckle and sudden wheezing across the room. The adult Witwickys all looked up to see that Alexis had woken up. In a second, the colonel was at her side.

"Hey, soldier, how're you doing?"

"I feel like jelly. What painkillers am I on?"

"A lot," her father answered softly. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Wait, we should get a doctor first," Ron said. "They should call Lennox in for this."

"How's Starscream?" Alexis asked weakly. "He was there…And Sam needs to know. Where's Sam? And Starscream?"

"Ratchet's working on him, sweetie," Judy answered. "And Sam and Mikaela will be here soon."

"Good, good. I was worried the Decepticon would go after Sam next." Alexis took a breath and hissed in pain. "Shoot, what's the damage report?"

"A couple of ribs are broken. Your left arm, too."

"Again? I just got that hand fixed! This hardly seems fair."

"You should be more worried about your ribs. They're worried it might be a flair chest thing, so stay still."

A doctor poked his head into the room. "Colonel, Major Lennox will be along soon."

"Thanks, doctor."

"And these two just arrived to see you." Sam and Mikaela entered from behind the retreating medic. Alexis offered them a weak smile in greeting as Sam got hugs from his parents. Mikaela found herself gravitating towards little James, who was still fast asleep in his seat. After giving him the once over, she left the sleeping infant in order to hear Alexis' story.

"I was going to meet Starscream, just to talk about everything that was going on. When I found him he was already down. I was trying to wake him up when the Decepticon grabbed me."

"Do you know which Decepticon?" Sam asked. Alexis shook her head.

"He kind of forgot to mention his name."

"Then what the hell was the point of this?"

"He wanted me to tell the Autobots that he wants Megatron back. He threatened to hurt people until he gets him, too. This was his warning."

"All this-" Sam waved at the hospital equipment "-was to send a message?"

"Right? Totally could have sent an e-mail." Alexis winced. "Is there a tube in my side?"

"Don't touch anything," Ben said sternly. "Is there anything you need? Anything you want?"

"My phone. I need to call Kicker." The colonel frowned at his daughter's sudden shift in priorities. "He'll want to know why I didn't show up last night."

"Show up for what?" her father asked suddenly.

"That can wait. Lex, what else do you remember?" Sam knew he shouldn't press his cousin considering her condition, but the faster they got answer the better. "Any details will help the Autobots figure out who did this."

"He had lots of tentacles."

"Okay, that's a start. Wait, tentacles?" Sam grimaced.

"Metal ones, you pervert. Like steel cables or something. And his voice sounded like a synthesizer."

"Alright, I'll go tell Bumblebee." Sam ran out of the room before anyone could stop him. Passing him in the hallway was Major William Lennox.

"Where's the kid going?"

"Bumblebee," Mikaela sighed. A cry arose from James and the teen went over to the baby. "Hi, little guy. Hi! Look who's finally up."

Judy joined Mikaela to look over her younger son. "He's probably going to be cranky from the flight. And he doesn't seem to like hospitals for some reason," she added as James started to cry.

"Then I'll take him out of the hospital," Mikaela tucked the baby carried under her arm and hauled up the giant baby bag that accompanied it. "Whoa, do you have enough diapers in here?"

"Witwicky boys are very sensitive. I need to buy the special diapers to avoid giving him a rash. They're the exact same brand Sam had when he was born. I also threw in extra formula and outfits since I didn't know how long this trip would be."

Mikaela was careful not to roll her eyes at the older woman's overzealous packing. Instead, she focused on making cooing sounds at James before walking out of the room. Her plan was to take him straight to Sam and Bumblebee, the only two beings in the world who could calm James faster than his parents. Mikaela smiled as she remembered the first time Bumblebee had been allowed to drive with James inside. The baby somehow knew that the Camaro was special, and hadn't cried, spit up, or pooped once. Frankly, he was better behaved inside Bumblebee than Sam was.

* * *

"She said his voice sounded like a synthesizer. And he had metal tentacles."

"_Are you sure?"_ Optimus Prime's voice blasted through Bumblebee's speakers as if the Autobot leader was there.

"Positive," Sam nodded. "The Decepticon wants Megatron back. He threatened to kill people if that doesn't happen."

"_Thank you, Sam. Now, I believe Alexis will be reassured to hear that Starscream is recovering with Ratchet_."

"I'll let her know. But who are we dealing with?"

"_Before his resurrection, Megatron had three lieutenants. One was Starscream. The other two are Soundwave and Shockwave. By the description you've given, it would appear that we are being challenged by the former."_

"And how big of a problem will he be?"

_"Unfortunately, he is a more than competent commander. Since the start of the Great War, he was a full supporter of Megatron. Any Decepticons with the same mindset will surely accept his orders as long as they benefit Megatron in the end."_

"So that's why he wants him back so bad, right?"

_"Yes."_

Sam sighed. "I'll let Lennox know." As the teen got out of the car, Optimus sent a silent message to Bumblebee.

_Be careful. If Soundwave has already threatened a human, Sam is no doubt his next target._

* * *

A/N: I actually did a lot of research for this chapter. Most of it on the abilities of a 3 month old baby. I hope it's accurate!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Unless my car is a robot in disguise.

Chapter 4

An annoyed look flitted across Mikaela's face as she put James' baby carrier onto a bench outside of the hospital. She had thought this was the door she and Sam had entered in, but it looked like she had come out on the opposite side of the building. Rather than walk all the way around the complex, Mikaela decided to just let James rest where they were. The baby seemed to have calmed down considerably since they'd come out into the fresh air.

"Who's a cutie pie? You are! You are!" Mikaela said in a voice reserved specifically for James and the shop dog, Bones. She lifted the baby out of the carrier and smiled at him. "Sometimes I doubt that you're really Sam's brother. You're so well behaved!"

As she pulled him into a snuggle, James little hands immediately settled on her breast. Mikaela sighed. "I guess you are Sam's brother." James smiled at her and Mikaela laughed. "And you definitely have that Witwicky charm."

After a few minutes of digging around in the giant baby bag, Mikaela managed to find a little rattle for James to play with. Within seconds of taking it out, James had focused his eyes on the object with such concentration that Mikaela had to laugh. This, in turn, prompted the little baby to smile up at the teen.

For a while the two just sat there, enjoying the sun. Mikaela wondered whether or not she should look for Sam when a dark shadow passed overhead. Instantly alert, Mikaela held James tighter as she spun around to see a dark colored sphere crash into the earth behind them. The ground shook at the creature got up from the still smoking crater it had created in the hospital garden. It paused in order to study its surroundings before noticing the two humans.

"Witwicky?" Mikaela backed away. She knew that no Autobot would appear in broad daylight like this without a damn good reason. And they certainly wouldn't point a gun at a baby.

Mikaela turned to run but the Decepticon was too fast. In a few short strides he had overtaken her and was blocking her from retreating into the hospital. Mikaela let out a silent curse. She was used to running for her life and dodging alien attacks, but not with a baby and diaper bag slowing her down. Backing away from the Decepticon, she slowly took her phone out of her pocket and hit Sam's number on speed dial. Now it was just a matter of time before he came to her rescue with Bumblebee. If she was lucky, he and Bumblebee would have noticed the crash already.

"What do you want?" Mikaela asked, stalling for time.

"I seek the Witwicky boy."

"Big surprise there," Mikaela muttered, glancing at her phone. The icon on the screen showed that Sam had answered. "Sam's on the other side of the hospital, you stupid Decepticon," she said loudly for the phone's sake.

"I do not seek Samuel Witwicky. I seek the one called James Witwicky."

Mikaela clutched the baby in question closer to her. "What?"

"He will come with me."

A sudden engine revving distracted Mikaela. Racing around the corner of the hospital was Sam, riding in Bumblebee. Mikaela smirked, knowing the Decepticon was done for.

The Decepticon, not missing a beat, fired a shot at the oncoming Autobot. He then lunged forward, scooping up Mikaela and James in one arm. Mikaela screamed for Sam while James, unable to comprehend what was occurring, cried. Trying to get out of the Decepticon's vice grip, Mikaela saw Bumblebee was still chasing after them.

A sudden rumbling distracted Mikaela. The Decepticon was holding a strange device in his other hand. It was emitting a sound akin to a charging battery. Mikaela's eyes went wide when she realized that she had heard that sound before. It was the same cackle that Jetfire had made before ripping open a space bridge to transport them halfway around the world to Egypt.

"Sam!" Mikaela's screams were swallowed by an explosion of light, echoing in the empty space left behind.

* * *

"Mikaela!" Sam called out, but it was too late. He watched in horror as his girlfriend and baby brother disappeared in a flash of light, held deep in the clutches on an unknown Decepticon. Bumblebee came to a stop at the spot where the bridge had been activated, but all that was left was an acrid stench and giant footprints.

Sam held his head in his hands. There was no way this could be happening. He looked to Bumblebee for an explanation but the yellow bot had nothing to offer. Mikaela and James had simply vanished with the Decepticon.

Standing outside of the hospital was a large crowd of staff and patients. The sounds of battle must have alerted them to what had happened outside. The Autobot quickly transformed back into his car mode, although it was a little too late. Sam got inside Bumblebee for the quick ride back to the hospital entrance. A numbness was spreading over his body as he tried to keep breathing. He could already see Major Lennox ushering people back inside, and his parents were waiting for him. None of them seemed to know what had happened yet, other than a Decepticon attack.

"Bee, is there any way we can figure out where they went?"

"I don't think so, Sam." It was a little odd to hear Bumblebee speak, but it seemed the severity of the situation warranted it. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing we could have done." Sam's eyes went out of focus as he went deep into thought. The sight of his parent's worried faces growing closer and closer was filling him with painful emotions. "We're going to get them back."

"How?"

"I don't know how, but we're doing it."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the length. This chapter was really hard to write, mainly because I was trying to keep it from getting too dark…Fail.

Feel free to leave suggestions. I have an idea for this story, but it's early enough that I can add characters/events/et c...


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. I did just learn that my cat chases her own tail. So smart.

Chapter 5

Ratchet was not good with children. He simply lacked the patience to deal with them, although there were a few exceptions. Bumblebee and other well-behaved younglings he could manage. Yet, despite his qualms, he had somehow found himself acting as guardian to two rowdy protoforms due to the fact that, as a medic, he was the only one capable of properly seeing to their development.

The younglings in question were unique. One was none other than Jazz, given a second chance at life by Primus himself. The other was more likely a curse from Unicron: Megatron reborn in a healthy, young protoform. Even though Optimus insisted that Megatron be given a second chance, it was already clear that the youngling had some of the same violent tendencies as his previous incarnation. Jazz also had a personality similar to that of his previous self. This led Ratchet to believe that the two sparks had truly been reincarnated rather than recycled into two completely new bots.

It shouldn't have been that much of a surprise. Before the war broke out and supplies became scarce, injured Transformers would simply transplant their sparks into healthy, customized protoforms. It was a procedure that hadn't been done in thousands of years, but Ratchet found himself preparing to perform one now.

In order to save Starscream, Ratchet had collected and combined several protoform shells to form a body similar in size to the jet's current frame. However, the speed at which he was working meant that a perfect duplicate couldn't be made, and Starscream would have to settle for whatever his new body could handle.

The medic smirked at the delicate spark he held in his hands. "You better thank me when you come back online. This was a rush job and I still managed to make you a few feet taller." Ratchet lowered the spark into the awaiting spark chamber. "Better looking, too. You're welcome."

The initial contact sent a wave of energy through the protoform. Starscream involuntarily convulsed as his optics activated. He quickly sat up, taking a second to do an internal inventory of all the modifications of his new form. Satisfied, he got to the more important issue at hand.

"Soundwave is responsible-"

"We know that already. Did he tell you what he was planning?"

"The slagger wants to trade human hostages for Megatron."

"Does he have any humans?"

"I don't think so. From what he told me, he's planning on getting some. Some that Prime can't refuse to save."

"Sam," Ratchet said somberly. "We'll have to warn-"

"Why can't I see properly?" Starscream asked, temporarily distracted.

"I changed your optics. I figured the 'new you' should look more like an Autobot," Ratchet said smugly. Starscream simply blinked his new blue optics in annoyance. "Now, I suggest you scan an alt mode. I have to inform Optimus of what you've told me."

Leaving his patient to adjust, the medic went looking for Optimus. When Ratchet found the Autobot leader, it was apparent that something was on his mind. The other Autobots in the hanger seemed to have already been informed of whatever was bothering Optimus, as they were giving their leader plenty of space.

"Optimus, what happened?"

"Soundwave has made his move."

"He took Sam?"

"Is that what Starscream said would happen?"

"He said Soundwave's plan is to trade humans for the return of Megatron. Who did he take?"

"Mikaela and the infant Witwicky are missing. Bumblebee just sent the transmission." Optimus rubbed his nose. "If Soundwave offers an exchange, we may not be able to refuse."

* * *

Mikaela rested against one of the rocky walls of her prison. She took one of her hands from underneath James in order to wipe the tears that covered the infant's face. Somehow, impossibly, the baby had managed to fall asleep after the traumatic trip through the space bridge. Thankfully, the trip had been much safer than the one with Jetfire. The device the Decepticon possessed seemed to allow him greater control over the landing. She closed her eyes and remembered all that had happened.

"Stay here," the Decepticon had said. With only those two words as explanation, the mech had then reactivated his warp device and disappeared, leaving Mikaela and the screaming James trapped. They had been deposited into some sort of cave, with no visible exits. Mikaela guessed they had been there for about an hour before she had managed to lull James into sleep.

"It's okay," Mikaela murmured, more to herself than the baby. "Sam will find us. I know he will."

* * *

William Lennox was ready to drop into his bed and escape reality. His day had started with the discovery of a half dead teenager and by lunch another teen and a baby were being held captive by Decepticons. It was the latter event that had him heading home with Ironhide. They were going to take his wife Sarah and daughter Annabelle to the base at Diego Garcia to make sure that no more kidnapping attempts were made. It was clear that the Decepticons weren't going to differentiate between innocent civilians and active fighters, so everyone at risk had to be protected.

"Will," Ironhide said, his voice emanating from the radio, "Make sure your youngling does not chew gum on this trip. It took several weeks for Ratchet to remove the last wad."

"Alright, Ironhide." Once they had pulled up to the Lennox household, Will jumped out of the overly large black truck. His house, normally a welcome sight, seemed strangely dark now. Lennox frowned. When he had called earlier Sarah had said she'd be waiting for him. Yet she was nowhere to be seen.

"Ironhide-"

"On it." The black truck let out a series of mechanical clicks and whirls as Ironhide transformed into his robot mode. Not for the first time Will was glad that his house was out of the way and surrounded by woods. It allowed the Autobots to transform without fear of being seen.

Will carefully opened his front door. It was a strange feeling, entering one's own home without knowing what was waiting inside. Two suitcases were sitting next to the door, waiting to be taken to the base. But no one was waiting to go _with_ the bags. Next to one bag was a stuffed My Little Pony toy. Fear flooded Will's veins. For the past few weeks, Annabelle had refused to go anywhere without that pony. There was no way she would have left it sitting in the middle of the hallway.

A scream caught Will's attention. He hated to think it, but he knew Annabelle's scream anywhere. And that was definitely his daughter screaming her lungs out.

Running outside, Will saw that Ironhide was already in action. A Decepticon (and the source of the screaming) was coming from behind the house. Ironhide was blasting the other mech mercilessly, clearly pissed off.

"Lennox, secure the females!" The soldier in Will took over, urged on by the father and husband as well. Darting between the legs of the two battling robots, he saw the two girls who meant the most to him in the world.

"Sarah, over here!" Will held out his hand and his wife took it, ducking at a low punch from the Decepticon. He scooped his daughter up and took off away from the house. His goal was to reach their second garage, built specifically for their 'special' vehicular friends. Once they were inside and out of the way, Ironhide would be able to focus completely on the battle at hand.

"Decepticon scum! Soundwave has been reduced to harming younglings?" Ironhide gave the offending Decepticon a double blast from his cannons. "Rumble, you should never have threatened _my_ humans!"

* * *

A/N: And that's where I leave you for the day. Angry Ironhide fight scene next chapter!

And what color should Rumble be? Brownie points if you get that joke…


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. I had a major popcorn headache last night after seeing Harry Potter, and writing was painful. It's odd that popcorn kept me from writing and surgery didn't. Gotta love the weird stuff.

Chapter 6

With Lennox and his family safe inside their garage, Ironhide faced Rumble with eager anticipation. The mechs sized each other up. Each knew the reputation of the other: Ironhide, the Autobot's weapon specialist, Rumble, the Decepticon agent with destructive panache. Ironhide felt a tinge of regret; the Lennox house would not survive this encounter. But as long as the Lennox family did, Ironhide would forgive himself this indulgence.

"Rumble, I have to give you this one chance. For Optimus' sake," Ironhide shrugged, revealing his indifference on the matter. "What has Soundwave done with the humans?"

"Like I'd betray my master. Shut up and fight like a mech!" Rumble then had the audacity to taunt Ironhide with a finger. "The sooner I finish you the faster I get to that brat."

Ironhide was on him within seconds, unleashing relentless punch after relentless punch. Rumble made a feeble attempt to block the fists of the larger mech but to no avail. Eventually, Rumble managed to duck out from the flurry of fists to attack Ironhide's knee joint, temporarily crippling the bot. Forced into a kneeling position, Ironhide continued to smash every surface of the Decepticon that he could reach.

Rumble finally managed to get lucky by delivering a second crippling blow to the Autobot's chest. Ironhide let out a roar before tackling Rumble down. There was a crunching sound as the Lennox house crumbled beneath their combined weight. In one fluid movement, the Autobot managed to trap the Decepticon in a bear hug. Then, he transformed his hands into cannons, one on either side of Rumble's head.

Two short blasts later, the battle was over.

Before retrieving Lennox from the safety of the garage, Ironhide took a moment to admire the damage. In the tumble, more than half of the house had been demolished. Ironhide noticed with amusement that Annabelle's room, which now had only three walls, was relatively intact. At least more so than the master suite, which currently had a dead Decepticon lying inside it.

"Will won't appreciate this," Ironhide mused, limping off to retrieve the humans.

* * *

Sam tried to keep from fidgeting. He was anxious to arrive at Diego Garcia in order to get to work locating Mikaela and James. He was certain that, once he was with the Autobots, they'd be able to find Soundwave and his hostages in a snap.

Surreptitiously looking up, Sam studied his parents from across the airplane. Ron was doing his best to comfort Judy but it didn't seem to be having any affect. Since learning that James had been taken, Judy had been silent. Considering that this was the woman who generally reacted to a crisis with screams and baseball bats, silence was a disconcerting reaction. It was almost as if Judy had fully withdrawn into herself, unable to accept the reality of the situation. This development steeled Sam's resolve. He was personally going to find his brother. End of story.

When the plane landed at Diego Garcia, Sam waited for them to remove Alexis first. They had decided to take the injured teen to the base's medical facilities in order to ensure there weren't any more Decepticon attacks on the hospital where she'd been staying. Unfortunately, they'd prepared the girl for the flight by pumping her full of more painkillers, which resulted in increasingly bizarre and incoherent conversation. Her father had tried to humor her, but eventually even he had to give up. Luckily, Alexis seemed content to speak to herself as the medics rolled her gurney onto the tarmac.

Optimus Prime was waiting for Sam when he and Bumblebee exited the plane. Ratchet was there as well, although he was more interested in checking over Alexis' injuries. A third bot was with them, one Sam had never seen before. Without waiting for introductions or pleasantries, Sam began to ask questions.

"Do you know where Soundwave took them?"

"We have been unable to trace the location of Mikaela and your brother." Optimus' voice sounded tired. "However, we may soon have that answer."

"How?"

"Ironhide fought a Decepticon known as Rumble at the home of Major Lennox and his family. It appears that Rumble had a device with him similar to the one that Bumblebee described seeing during the kidnapping. Once we are able to study the device, we will know where he took Mikaela and your brother."

Sam hung his head in disappointment. Getting the device to the base and dissecting it would take too long. Even though it looked like the Decepticon had taken James' baby bag, there was only so much formula in there. And there was nothing in there for Mikaela to eat. Somehow, he doubted that the Decepticons would be willing to go grocery shopping for their human captives.

"I'm sorry, Sam," Optimus said, knowing the turmoil that the young human was feeling. "We will recover them, one way or another. You have my word."

Sam nodded his head in reluctant acceptance. He knew a promise from Optimus Prime was the best there was. Trying to change the subject, he motioned to the third mech. "Who's the new arrival?"

"Not a new arrival, just a new body," Ratchet chuckled.

Realization hit Sam. "That's Starscream?" He gave the mech a once over. "Nice paint job."

"It's Captain America!" Alexis laughed. Unfortunately, this caused her chest to constrict and hurt so she was reduced to a wheezing fit.

"As soon as I scan a new alt mode I will no longer look like _this,_"Starscream sneered. Sam smiled. The former Decepticon's voice was the same, but that appeared to be it. If anything, he almost looked like an Optimus knock-off with his coloring. Alexis couldn't stop giggling despite the pain it was causing her. "It is _not _funny, insect."

Ignoring the humans' laughter, Starscream accompanied Sam and Bumblebee to the medical station with Alexis. Back at the plane, Optimus and Ratchet were talking with the older Witwickys. No doubt trying to reassure Ron and Judy that their infant son would be safe. Realizing the opportunity he had, Sam gave Bumblebee a gentle nudge.

"Bee, do you think we could find out where they are? Like, can you find some Decepticons to tell us where they might be?" The Autobot seemed surprised by Sam's question, but he answered it anyway.

_Jim, we don't have that technology!_

"Why don't you ask the Seeker? He can find anything." Alexis said.

"What?" Sam asked, turning to his cousin. She pointed to Starscream.

"He's one. He can find the Golden Snitch for you." Sam ignored the latter part of Alexis' explanation as he looked to Starscream.

"You're a Seeker? I thought they were all old like Jetfire."

"Those are the originals. As a descendant, I've trained harder than any other to be able to track anything."

"Good. Then you can find Soundwave for us." Sam said with a note of finality as he led Bumblebee away. "We'll see you in ten minutes. Be ready to go."

Alexis smiled up at Starscream. "Good luck, Harry Potter."

The former Decepticon rolled his optics. This day just kept getting better and better.

* * *

A/N: Can you tell that seeing Harry Potter slightly influenced this chapter? Sorry!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Everybody got that? Now stop asking me for money.

Chapter 7

Optimus Prime awaited the plane that would deliver Ironhide and Major Lennox. The weapon's specialist had been unable to determine how Rumble's space bridge device worked, so the Autobot leader was anxious to see it for himself. He hoped they would be able to use it to find Mikaela and James, but if the device proved to be beyond them then he needed to know soon. He knew from Ratchet that human younglings, especially those as small as James, did not fare well in situations such as these. The baby needed to be recovered as soon as possible. Ever since arriving on Earth, the Witwicky family had shown the Autobots the greatest kindness and courtesy. Optimus did not want to fail them in their hour of need.

"Yo, Optimus!"

"Opti!"

"Big guy!"

"Down here!"

"I can hear you two without looking at you," Optimus sighed. Still, he looked down at the two bots that had appeared at his side. "What is it?"

"We was wondering where Bumblebee was," Skids said.

"Yeah, cause we owe him an ass-whupping." Mudflap added.

"Did you check the main hanger? Ratchet wanted to check over his upgrades."

"We already looked there."

"We're not stupid."

Optimus rolled his optics. "Chances are he's with Sam. Check-"

"The human areas?"

"Been there."

"Done that."

"Like we said, we're not stupid."

Optimus frowned. It wasn't that he wanted the twins to find Bumblebee and be given an 'ass-whupping', but normally the yellow bot was easy to locate. He quickly sent out a silent message to Ratchet.

_Ratchet, have you seen Bumblebee?_

_Not since he went off with Starscream. If you see him first, tell him I want to check his upgrades. No excuses._

This was another cause for concern. Even though the Autobots had made an effort to be nice to the Decepticons who had switched sides, Starscream was often a sore spot simply due to his previous position in the war. It was specifically because of how he had endangered Sam that Bumblebee usually didn't seek out the jet. Not unless he had to.

A thought passed through Optimus' circuits. He quickly scanned the base with his optics. As he had started to suspect, Starscream was nowhere to be seen. Optimus knew there was only one thing in the universe that could get Bumblebee to voluntarily go somewhere with Starscream: Sam Witwicky. And right now, Sam was a human with a cause.

"Hello? Anybody home up there?"

Optimus looked at the twins with a start. He had almost forgotten about the annoying minibots. Almost.

"Er, go check if he's with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. I heard they wanted to race someone who could give them a fighting chance."

"And wha's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, we'll show 'em who's gonna win in a race."

"Let's go, bro."

Optimus chuckled as the twins left, glad his ruse had worked. With them out of his way, he could figure out what had happened with Bumblebee. He quickly looked around for a human who could help him and was relieved when he saw Master Sergeant Robert Epps.

"Excuse me, Sergeant. Have you seen Sam and Bumblebee?"

Epps looked up at Optimus with confusion. "They just took off in the last flight out. Did you forget?"

"It seems I did. Tell me, was Starscream with them?" Epps nodded. "As I thought." Leaving the sergeant to his duties, Optimus sent another message.

_Ratchet, it seems we have a problem._

_More so than usual?_

_Ready a team. As soon as Ironhide arrives, we'll roll out._

* * *

In her hours of pacing, Mikaela had learned a lot about her 'prison'. There were a few beds thrown against one wall, with blankets and pillows as well. None looked new or clean. A few broken baby cribs were also scattered around the cave. She'd even found a refrigerator and oven, but neither was hooked up to a power source and the food inside proved bad. Still, it seemed that whoever had taken them captive had planned on keeping them alive for some time.

For the hundredth time, Mikaela checked her phone. The screen was still cracked, just as it had been for the past ninety-nine times she'd looked. She considered taking it apart in order to try to send out a basic signal, but with James in one arm it would be difficult.

Despite all the cribs in the cave, Mikaela had refused to put the baby down. She felt a little paranoid, but she was worried that putting him down would result in him being separated from her. There was no way she was letting this baby out of her sight.

Since she was clueless in guessing how much time had passed (due to the constant light of the cave), she tried using James as a timepiece. For three months old, he had a pretty well adjusted schedule. His feedings and naps usually occurred at the same time of day, so she was using his reactions to guess how long they'd been captive. Sadly, it seemed that stress and trauma had made today irregular. Either that or they'd been there for a full day already, which she hoped wasn't the case.

"Okay, Jay, time to move." She shifted the baby to her other arm, allowing her sore shoulder a break. She took stock of the tools at her disposal. A bag of diapers and formula (both of which were rapidly disappearing), some mattresses and bed frames, and two appliances. Mikaela frowned in thought. Maybe there was something she could do.

The problem was, in order to do it she had to put the baby down.

"Alright, James, I need you to be a big boy," she said, heading over to the sturdiest looking crib. She checked it to make sure it was clean before depositing the baby inside. "Stay here."

Keeping the crib in her sight, Mikaela headed over to the fridge. Although her specialty was with vehicles, she was certain she could make something useful if she gutted the appliance. If nothing else, it was something to do while she waited for the Decepticon to return and explain what the hell was going on.

Constantly checking on James from her perch behind the fridge, Mikaela looked at all the tubes and wires the machine had to offer. She checked each of the wires against those in her phone. Along with the screen, a few wires had been torn up. She had no clue if her plan would work, but if she got lucky she might just be able to use some of the fridge's wires to replace those in the phone. Then, if fate was really on her side, she could get a call out. All she needed was a few seconds to call Sam and the Autobots would have all they needed to trace her. She hoped.

James started crying. Mikaela dropped the cell phone in her rush to comfort him. She shrugged as she heard it hit the floor. It couldn't get anymore broken than it already was.

"James, what's the matter? Need a bottle? A new diaper? What do you need?"

"I need you to come with me."

Mikaela froze. That was definitely not the baby talking.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

Chapter 8

Sam had never been one for impulsive decisions. He preferred to carefully plan out the events in his life, know exactly what would happen and when. His parents certainly didn't mind having a teenager that looked before he leaped. It made him easier to handle, since it usually meant that Sam didn't go anywhere unless he had thought it out well in advance.

That was why he'd been able to sneak away from the Autobots at Diego Garcia. No one had thought that he would go running off on a fool's mission to save Mikaela and James. When he'd gotten on an airplane at the base and told them he needed to go somewhere because Optimus told him to, the pilots hadn't questioned him. Years of good behavior had finally paid off. Now here he was in Texas, trusting a Decepticon to lead him to evil robots that may or may not know the location of his fiancée and brother.

"You sure one's here?" Sam asked Starscream. The Seeker nodded.

"There's one on the west side of the city. The Autobot should be able to take it from there," Starscream said.

"You're not coming with us?"

"I'm a little obvious without an alt mode." The Decepticon looked around the small airbase where they had landed. All of the humans were inside, unaware of the aliens outside. "Unless the fleshlings here are used to seeing sights such as me."

"Alright, Bee, it's back to you and me," Sam said, taking his customary seat behind Bumblebee's steering wheel. "You know what I want to know? What's a Decepticon doing here?"

* * *

Seymour Simmons felt at home under the hot Texas sun. It reminded him of his former home at the Hoover Dam, yet this small city still had some of the amenities he had grown used to in New York City. It was like a perfect balance of his two homes rolled into one. It was the perfect place to spend his rare vacation day.

A bright yellow car zipped past the government liaison. Simmons jumped at the sight before calming himself. It was too small to be a Camaro, and too vibrant to be the one he had come to detest. Being a strong believer in first impressions, he had immediately taken a disliking to the younger Autobot who had lubricated on him. The presence of the yellow Camaro also meant that his nemesis Sam Witwicky was near.

Fortunately for him, this flash of yellow had been a false alarm. Still, the secret agent in him kept an eye on the receding license plate that read "YLW RSE", making a mental note to look it up later. Ever since realizing that the alien robots had the ability to transform into Earth vehicles, he'd always been on the lookout for cars that appeared a little _too_ nice. Some tricked out cars were the result of owners with way too much money, but sometimes it turned out to be a robot hiding in plain sight. More than once a civilian with a camera phone had snapped a pic of multiple NBEs travelling on a highway, just because the collection of vehicles looked 'cool'. It was one of the reasons he still had a job in hiding the existence of aliens. His conspiracy website (which was much better than Leo's) had once had an entire forum dedicated to pictures of the same group of cars seen all around the world. Now that he was back on the government's bankroll, he had taken down the pictures as 'fake', even though he knew full well it was the Autobots in each and every frame.

When the yellow car, a Porsche Cayman, disappeared around a corner, Simmons relaxed. This was his vacation, after all, and he was going to enjoy it the only way he knew how: trying to prove that he wasn't crazy. And he was going to do that by proving that the old Model T automobile on display at the local museum was actually an alien.

He'd long believed that there were robots in disguise on Earth prior to the NBE-1, but Jetfire's existence had validated his argument for all the nonbelievers who'd doubted him. Now he was hoping to finally find all of the old Transformers who'd arrived on Earth, the ones that Sector Seven had refused to allow him to look for.

As Simmons tried to think of a good cover story for museum security, a red Camaro silently pulled up behind him. It would have gone unnoticed if not for a quiet clicking. The special Geiger counter in his bag had started to react, so Simmons very slowly adjusted his sunglasses. Using the mirrors he had attached to the inside of the frames, he saw the red car that was now following him. Simmons shook his head. The kid might have gotten the Camaro a paintjob, but he still knew who it was. He continued his walk to the museum, ignoring the vehicle. There was no way he was letting that kid drag him into whatever cockamamie scheme he had. If he continued to ignore him, he might go away.

After five more minutes of ignoring his red shadow, Simmons finally snapped.

"What do you want with me, you crazy alien?" The Camaro stopped dead in its tracks. Simmons waited for the kid to get out and explain but the car just idled there. He took off his shades for a better look.

There were a few other differences he could now see between this Camaro and the kid's. A dent here, a decal there, and other stuff that was different besides the paint. Simmons noticed through the tinted windows that there was no driver inside.

"Oh, mama."

The red Camaro hopped up onto the sidewalk with a loud rev. Surprisingly, there was a responding call. Simmons turned to see a second Camaro, this one the yellow and black he was used to. Even better, there _was _a driver in the car, although it wasn't a driver he wanted to see.

* * *

Sam couldn't believe his eyes. How the hell was Simmons here? More importantly, _why_ the hell was Simmons here? Well, at least he found the Decepticon for them. He studied the street they were on. Except for the other Camaro and Simmons, the road was empty. Perfect for Bumblebee to transform without notice.

Climbing out of the driver's seat, Sam waved Simmons over. The agent ran to him, clutching his fanny pack to his chest. If not for the red Camaro transforming behind him, the scene would have been hilarious. Instead, Sam knew that he and Simmons needed to find cover while Bumblebee 'interrogated' the Decepticon.

However, Bumblebee didn't transform. It was almost as if he was hesitating for some reason. Sam turned to study the Decepticon. He was a little taller than Bee, but he looked very similar. Sam looked back at his guardian. Did Bee know this bot?

"Well, well, if it isn't baby Bumblebee," the red mech chuckled. "What, no welcome for an old friend? Or still a coward like I remember?"

That got Bumblebee moving. He transformed slowly and studied his red doppelganger, a cannon trained on his chest. He still seemed unsure of whether to attack or not. The Decepticon made the decision for him, blasting a crater into the road at Bumblebee's feet. Lowering his helmet, Bee started the fight in earnest. Sam and Simmons huddled together, awaiting the battle to come.

* * *

A/N: Extra credit to anyone who can guess who 'Red' is.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Nor do I own the songs/audio clips that Bumblebee uses.

A/N: Be honest, who's glad to see Simmons?

Chapter 9

Mikaela studied the Decepticon before her. It wasn't the same one that had kidnapped her and James, and that left her uneasy. The one that had taken them had wanted them alive, but she didn't know if the same was true for this green and purple bot. Holding James closer, she decided to take a chance and ask the Decepticon outright what was going on.

"What do you want with us?"

"A trade."

"Well, all I have to offer are some used diapers. Sorry if that's not what you came for," Mikaela sneered.

"Your person will suffice. You shall be exchanged for our captive leader." The Decepticon offered Mikaela a hand. "Currently, you must be relocated."

"Why?"

"Rumble has failed in securing the rest of the hostages. Therefore, you must be taken to a more secure location."

"More secure than this?" Mikaela wondered aloud. The mech heard her.

"With Rumble's defeat his warp technology has also been compromised. We must act as if the Autobots have taken it and will use it to transport here."

Somehow Mikaela didn't like the idea of a place that would be even more difficult for the Autobots to rescue her from. Before she could protest, the Decepticon scooper her and James up. Trapped in his grip, Mikaela resigned herself to comforting the now awake James as the Decepticon took them deeper into the caverns of the cave they were in. Eventually, the constant rhythm of his stride put her and the baby to sleep.

Deep in sleep, Mikaela couldn't stop the dreams of Sam and Autobots and rescue. She subconsciously held James tighter. Even in sleep, all she thought about was escape.

* * *

Bumblebee tackled the red bot with a furry. Simmons let out a cheer when it looked like Bee had the advantage, but Sam maintained some level of cautious self respect. It wasn't that he doubted his guardian, but the Autobot's earlier hesitation had him worried. Something about this red mech was different.

After a few minutes of battling, the difference became clear: the Transformers weren't fighting. In fact, it looked like they were _playing_.

"I'm beating up my baby Bumblebee," the red mech laughed. Bumblebee let out a whine of annoyance.

"Cliffjumper, stop it!" The mech, Cliffjumper, jumped away in surprise.

"Holy slag, you can talk!"

"Bee, what's going on?" Sam asked, highly confused. "Is he an Autobot?"

"What, he's a good one?" Simmons asked, almost to himself. Then he looked at the destruction the rumbling bots had made. "I don't buy that."

"When did you arrive to Earth?" Bumblebee asked, dusting himself off. It seemed as if he had momentarily forgotten the humans present in his excitement.

"Only this morning. I was trying to get in contact when I noticed that human." Cliffjumper pointed at Simmons, who ducked behind Sam. "I detected Cybertronian radiation on his belongings. I hoped he would lead me to the rest of you."

"Uh, Bee? I don't mean to interrupt this lovely reunion, but do you maybe want to introduce us?" Sam raised his eyebrows as he noticed the still smoking hole in the cement. "And why'd he blow up the freaking sidewalk?"

"Sorry about that," Cliffjumper said sheepishly. "Do humans not like that?"

Bumblebee rolled his optics. "Sam, this is Cliffjumper. We used to work together before the war."

"And after," Cliffjumper added. "Where are the other Autobots?"

"We have a base that is shared with the human military. It's-"

"Hey, guys, down here," Simmons said, stepping out from behind Sam. "No offense, but I think we should discuss this elsewhere." A siren could now be heard coming closer. "Just an idea."

Bumblebee and Cliffjumper both transformed into their Camaro alt modes. Sam and Simmons got into the yellow one while the red followed them from behind. A couple of minutes after they left, a few very confused patrolmen arrived on the scene, wondering what on Earth could have caused the smoldering crater and large potholes.

"Damn kids and their fireworks."

* * *

A safe distance away from the city, the two Camaros came to a stop on a dirt road. Sam and Simmons were quick to get out to allow Bumblebee to transform. Now that they were safe from prying eyes, a proper introduction and explanation could be given.

"Arcee thought you had died on Mars," Bumblebee said quietly to his red companion. Cliffjumper nodded. "How'd you survive?"

"You know me, Bumblebee. I always made it out of a fight on top."

_That's what she said!_

Sam chuckled while Cliffjumper tilted his head in confusion. He said something that the humans assumed to be Cybertronian to Bee. The yellow bot answered in his native tongue and Cliffjumper nodded in understanding. Then both bots started to go on in their first language.

"Hey, not everyone here speaks alien," Simmons interrupted. "English, please."

"I think he was just explaining about the radio," Sam said.

"I don't care if they're talking about sunshine and daisies, I want to understand them!"

"The human is very annoying. Must we put up with it?" Cliffjumper asked.

_You know we don't harm humans!_

Cliffjumper seemed startled to hear Optimus Prime's recorded voice came from little Bumblebee. Sam reddened as he remembered that it had been his own parents who had pushed Ironhide to that same limit. The red mech then let out a laugh.

"I always knew you hero worshipped Prime, but _that's_ ridiculous."

Something about what Cliffjumper said caused Bumblebee to tense up. The other bot didn't notice, but Sam did instantly. Something wasn't right.

"So why are you with these humans? How do they know of us?"

"Seymour Simmons, a government agent assigned to hide our existence," Bumblebee said curtly. "And this is Sam, my charge."

"Samuel Witwicky? I've heard about him," Cliffjumper said, excitement creeping into his voice. "The human who defeated Megatron. I'm lucky to have met you."

A shiver of fear ran up Sam's spine. Something was definitely not right here. Not with the way Cliffjumper's voice had gone from warm and welcome to cold and calculating.

"Cliffjumper," Bumblebee started, his voice a dead calm, "What happened to your Autobot sigil? It looks like it's almost completely scratched off."

"It was dangerous to wear around. I was surrounded by Decepticons ready to kill me at any moment."

"It's a symbol of your allegiance."

"Not anymore." Cliffjumper opened a compartment over his chest cavity, revealing a dark violet Decepticon symbol. "The Autobots left me to die. The Decepticons saved me. Now it's my chance to repay them-"

"Nothing more than a deceiving Decepticon!" Simmons whispered into Sam's ear. "I knew it!"

"Shut up!"

"-We don't even have to fight," Cliffjumper was saying. "Just let me have the humans."

Bumblebee stepped between Cliffjumper and the humans. "No."

"You could never take me down back then; do you think anything's changed now?"

"A lot has changed." After looking down at Sam, Bumblebee lowered his helmet. "I'm better now."

Cliffjumper remained nonplussed. He started charging his weapons. It wasn't a game like before. Sam could tell that they were both deadly serious this time. The very air seemed to sense the upcoming clash and smelled like a thunderstorm. Sam pulled Simmons' by the arm.

"We don't want to be too close for this."

* * *

A/N: Hopefully, the next chapter will have a wicked awesome fight. I have a rock soundtrack playing and some pretty bad weather (lightning baby!), so here's to some aft kicking!

Again, thanks for the reviews. Feel free to request characters (who aren't dead). I'm going to need Decepticons later.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. If I did, this would be canon, mwahaha!

A/N: So fight scenes aren't my specialty, no matter how hard I try.

Chapter 10

The two bots crashed into each other, throwing punches wherever they could. The loud booms that indicated a cannon shot were interspersed with the crunching of metal. Bumblebee and Cliffjumper went blow for blow, mirroring each other's technique. Clearly, they had received the same training all those years ago when both were nothing more than guards at the Temple of Simfur. Then it had made them both into (literal) fighting machines. Now it had them locked in a stalemate.

Cliffjumper tried to blast Bumblebee with his cannon, but the agile Autobot managed to tackle him first. The yellow bot's goal was to get Cliffjumper further away from Sam and Simmons. If he could do that, then he could fight with all his strength without risking them injury.

Sam immediately understood what Bee was trying to do. Grabbing Simmons' fanny pack, he led the liaison away from the battling robots to find some cover. Once they were settled behind some large rocks, both became engrossed by the intense blows being exchanged. Every hit sent a shudder through the earth, and the two humans struggled to stay standing.

"Where are the humans? Mikaela? James?" Bumblebee grunted, pinning Cliffjumper to the ground. The force of the hit had opened the Decepticon's spark chamber, but Bumblebee ignored the vulnerability. He wasn't sure if he had it in him to completely take Cliffjumper out. Until now, they had been friends. He didn't know if he could offline a friend, even in this extreme situation.

"Where's Megatron?" Cliffjumper countered, blasting Bumblebee off of him. "One answer for the other."

"What's going on?" Simmons whispered. "Who's after Megatron?" Sam quietly started to explain the situation as Bee and Cliffjumper exchanged a few more hits.

Bumblebee grunted with effort as he managed to land another blow on his Decepticon foe. As tempting as Cliffjumper's offer was, Bee knew better than to accept it. If he revealed the location of Megatron's protoform, and the NEST base with it, it would do more harm than good. Especially since he was certain that the red Decepticon would not reveal Mikaela and James' location. If anything, he would send them into another trap. But it _could_ lead them to Mikaela and James-

"Come on, Bumblebee. You have that voice for a reason."

Sam took a deep breath as Simmons tried to call for back up. It was clear that, while Cliffjumper was aiming to kill, Bumblebee was only trying to incapacitate his red twin. The occasionally naïve Autobot was convinced that he could turn Cliffjumper back to the Autobot side.

"Bee, don't do it!" Sam yelled. He knew that Bee would never give up the location of Megatron, even in exchange for Mikaela and James. Still, Sam could see that Bumblebee was considering it for his sake. Loyalty to the Autobots and loyalty to Sam were clashing, creating an internal struggle just as fierce as the one between the two mechs.

"That's my answer," Bumblebee said, blasting a good-sized chunk into the Decepticon's shoulder.

"Fine. If you won't talk to me, you won't talk at all!" Cliffjumper launched himself at Bumblebee with a renewed viciousness, hands aimed directly at the Autobot's throat. With one hand he blocked Bumblebee's defenses and with the other he ripped at the exposed cords. There was a grating sound as the Decepticon removed the wires from Bumblebee's neck.

"Ratchet's not going to like that," Sam muttered as his guardian began to cough in pain. "Seriously, why do they always aim for the throat?"

"We got bigger problems than that," Simmons said, eyes wide with fear. "I can't get a signal, and we've got a visitor!"

Rolling up the dirt road they had come in on was a bright yellow Porsche. Sam hated to admit it, but this car's shade of yellow made Bumblebee look dull. It was bright. It was sleek. And it was transforming.

"Aw, shit. Bee, there's another one!"

"I knew that car was an alien," Simmons said, his eyes glued to the sleek new Transformer. "Yellow Rose."

Sam stared at Simmons. "You are never allowed to name anything ever again."

"I didn't name it, that's what the license plate said!"

The femme, Yellow Rose, was moving in towards the fight. From the large purple symbol on her forehead, there was no doubt that she was a Decepticon. There was an electrical cackle as a whip formed from one of her hands. Sam and Simmons exchanged a look.

"Kinky."

The new arrival joined the fray with a snarl. In seconds, she managed to secure her whip around Bumblebee's already injured throat, causing the bot to release a squeal of pain. Sam tore his gaze away. It felt like he was being stung with every hit Bee got hurt…Wait…

"Bee!" Sam yelled. "Use plan B! Your upgrades!"

Crouched into submission on the ground, Bumblebee activated his latest addition. On his last visit to Diego Garcia, Ratchet had helped him gain some new weapons, ones suiting his name and fighting style. On either arm he now had two 'stingers', each packing a powerful charge. Once activated, each punch would have an extra jolt for every enemy unfortunate enough to encounter it. Unfortunately, he'd never had the chance to test it.

Until now.

Spinning around, Bumblebee jabbed Cliffjumper directly in the chest. Pushing through, his electrical stinger broke through to the spark chamber, overriding all of the Decepticon's other systems. The red mech fell to the ground, temporarily incapacitated. Bumblebee then set his sights on Yellow Rose. Before he could get to her, tons of small explosions began to break out over her form. Bumblebee, Sam, and Simmons watched in equal surprise as the Decepticon was torn apart by shot after shot.

Flying above the battlefield was a military jet, the source of the attack. Sam wasn't an expert on planes, he left that to Uncle Ben and Alexis, but he could tell there was something unique about this one. Now back to his traditional grey, there was no doubt that this was Starscream in his new alt mode.

Landing next to the offlined femme, Starscream helped Bumblebee up.

"I see you found your Decepticons."

* * *

A/N: Next chapter, back to the base and a glimpse of baby Jazz and Megatron!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

A/N: Today I saw a bright yellow Porsche. Then I saw a faded yellow Camaro with racing stripes. I think it's a sign that dreams and conspiracies come true…

Chapter 11

Alexis Witwicky had never cared for babysitting. It wasn't the kids who were the problem but the overbearing parents. Too many moms and dads thought they knew exactly what their precious child needed. Every time the parents left they included a list of what their little baby needed to do before bedtime. It made babysitting very boring when little Bobby or Susie had to memorize a periodic table or fill in multiplication charts. Alexis preferred to have fun. Kids were only young once.

Her most recent charges were different. They got to be young twice.

After determining that she could still function with a broken arm and her broken ribs, Ratchet had trusted her with a special assignment: watching Jazz and Megatron while the Autobots searched for their missing companions. Since her injuries kept her from actively helping, the medic had indulged her desire to be of assistance by leaving her behind with Skids and Mudflap to watch the younglings. Her job was to keep the Twins in check. Although the two were usually on their better behavior around the young bots (due to threats from Optimus, Ratchet, Ironhide, and most of the other Autobots), it was still very difficult for them to remember their 'polite' language. More than once they had been caught swearing in the nursery. Alexis was going to make sure that no such slip-ups happened.

Optimus and Lennox had taken the NEST troops out about an hour earlier, headed towards Texas based on the flight records from the pilots of Sam, Bumblebee, and Starscream's earlier flight. In that time, Mudflap and Skids had taken care of the protoforms basic needs. That meant it was playtime.

Alexis smiled, sure that playtime was the only reason these particular twins were ever allowed near the younglings. Mudflap and Skids excelled at immaturity. From her perch atop a step ladder, she had a clear view of a trio of bots playing with a soccer ball. The twins were playing keep-away with Jazz, tossing the ball purposefully low so that the younger bot had a chance to catch it.

Alone in a corner was the bot formerly known as Megatron. Since returning from Cybertron, Optimus had insisted on giving the youngling a new name with his new start. Alexis assumed this was to protect the young bot from the repercussions of his previous life's reputation. However, his past still followed him. Most of the Autobots were hesitant to approach the protoform, whilst Jazz was given all the attention in the world. Alexis decided to change that.

"Hey, Hot Rod, what are you up to?" The small youngling looked at the human with annoyance. Whatever he was doing, he didn't want to be disturbed. "Come on, Hot Rod. Sharing is nice."

'Hot Rod', as Megatron was now christened, turned his back on Alexis. With her ribs in the condition they were, she couldn't bend over to see what he was hiding. Taking the arm that wasn't in a sling, Alexis gave Hot Rod's shoulder a tug. He responded with a growl.

"Hot Rod, are you trying to talk?" Alexis knew from Ratchet that both he and Jazz were maturing at an accelerated rate. She didn't know a lot about alien physiology, but from the extended lifespan of the Transformers these two shouldn't be running around as they were. According to the Autobot medic, these two had developed skills in a few months what should have taken several vorns. If Hot Rod was trying to talk, this was a major milestone.

There was a crash across the room as an impatient Jazz tried to tackle one of the twins. A series of curses, both Cybertronian and human, echoed across the makeshift nursery. Alexis groaned. She really hoped Jazz wasn't ready to talk yet. She didn't want it on her conscience if his first word was 'slag'. She turned her attention back to Hot Rod.

"Can you say your name? Can you say 'Hot Rod'? Your name?"

The protoform paused in his tinkering to concentrate. He started to make sounds, with Alexis encouraging him.

"Come on, say your name. You can do it!"

The little protoform whirled around, revealing what he had been playing with. From scrap metal he had made a cannon-like device. Judging from the charging sound it was making, it worked. Aiming it at her, he spoke.

"Megatron."

* * *

The Autobots had been mistaken when Jazz and Megatron were revived by Primus and Unicron, respectively. They incorrectly assumed that, since Jazz and Megatron had actually died, that their sparks were mere reincarnations of their former selves. Basically, that their souls were in new bodies, having been wiped clean of all previous experience and memory.

Megatron knew that they were wrong. In his case, at least. As soon as he had onlined in his new form on Cybertron, he understood what had happened. He had been reborn. It was the same as if his online spark had been transplanted into a larger protoform, like what had happened with Starscream. All of his memories were completely intact, as was his hatred for the Autobots that had taken it upon themselves to 'give him a second chance'.

Unfortunately, there were limitations to his new form. He had to relearn how to walk and other basic functions. His motor skills were not as precise as before, to the point that short ventures proved difficult for his young form. It was infuriating to be at the mercy of his Autobot handlers.

That was going to change.

Shoving the invalid insect out of the way, Megatron tested out his cannon on the three unsuspecting Autobots. The first blast took out one of the idiots, but the contraption started smoking before a he could get out a second shot. Cursing his luck, he raced towards the exit while the Autobots were distracted by their wounded member. That was the benefit of fighting twins: take one out and the other forgets everything but their sibling.

* * *

"Damn, he shot you good, Mudflap! Fraggin' infant shot you!"

"Forget that, man, he's gettin' away!"

"But he _shot_ you!"

"Oh yeah. Shit."

"Send out an emergency message already!" Alexis yelled, having recovered from her tumble. She took off down the hallway Hot – er, Megatron, had taken. Every move hurt like hell, but with the incompetent twins she had to let _somebody _know what had happened. They had to catch the youngling before he got too far.

Alexis managed to find a soldier before long. He quickly got on his radio to report the situation. Holding her sides, Alexis pulled out her cell phone. She hesitated before entering a number, unsure as to who to contact. Optimus would need to know, but he would find out through the soldiers. That was why she decided to call Sam. If the runaway Megatron was found by Decepticons, they wouldn't need their human captives anymore. A shiver crawled up her spine. Mikaela and James were now in more danger than ever before.

* * *

A/N: I hope everyone got the difference between Transformer reincarnation and rebirth.

Reincarnation: A spark comes back from the beyond/death/Matrix but free of all memory/experience

Rebirth: A spark comes back from the beyond/death/Matrix but with all memory/knowledge

And as for the name 'Hot Rod'...Don't judge me! I needed a name!!! JK.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

A/N: I ended up rewriting this a few times, which is why it took longer to get up. Bear with me!

Chapter 12

Bumblebee couldn't believe what had happened. He had just fought one former friend and witnessed the demise of another. This was worse than any previous battle against Decepticons. Unlike the faceless drones, he knew every detail of these two bots lives. The fact that they had turned to the other side…It was like being thrown into a living nightmare.

Starscream felt no emotion as he studied the two bots. To him, they were nothing more than piles of scrap. He would gladly have killed the survivor but Bumblebee refused to allow him, no doubt naïve enough to believe that his former ally deserved a chance at redemption. So, Starscream was forced to study a living Cliffjumper, even though the task of gathering evidence would have been easier with a carcass.

Sam and Simmons were unsure of what to do with both Transformers occupied. Starscream was hunched over Cliffjumper while Bumblebee was observing the corpse of Yellow Rose. Sam decided to join his guardian, leaving Simmons to search for a phone signal.

"Hey, Bee. Did you know her too?" Sam asked quietly. From the look on Bumblebee's face, he seemed greatly pained. When the femme had appeared, Sam hadn't even considered that she might have been a turned Autobot like Cliffjumper. The fact that she had attacked first had made him assume she was a Decepticon through and through. Regardless of her affiliation, he could tell that his friend had known her.

Bumblebee nodded somberly. Then he paused, searching for a sound clip.

_She's out of my life._

Normally Bee could find some lyrics to string together to convey a simple message or thought, but this particular verse left Sam more confused than ever. Being dead certainly meant that she was 'out of his life', yet it really didn't answer _how _Bumblebee knew her. Sam looked back at the blackened femme, wondering who she had been.

"I got a signal!" Simmons yelled, interrupting the quiet moment the boy and bot were sharing. The liaison was holding his phone above his head, carefully holding it in a spot where he was getting reception. Leaving Bumblebee to grieve or…whatever he was doing, Sam joined the agent farther down the road.

No sooner had he gotten to the 'hot spot' when his own phone rang. Sam answered it, ignoring the glare Simmons gave him for having a working phone while his own military issues one was faltering.

"Alexis? Did you find-"

"_We're still looking for them, but we have a bigger problem._"

"I doubt that."

"_Megatron got away._"

"WHAT?"

_"Yeah,_ _he really is evil incarnate. It looks like he knows who he is, probably has the whole time. And he's in contact with Decepticons._"

"How do you know that?"

"_Mostly because a ginormous Decepticon 'rescued' him from the base a few seconds ago._"

"Where was Optimus? Lennox? The others?"

"_They're on their way to Texas after you._"

"They're coming _here_?"

"_Yep, so you better have a fragging good excuse. And-_"

Sam hung up on his cousin. His mind was reeling with the information he had just gotten. If the Decepticons had recovered Megatron's protoform, then they wouldn't need Mikaela or James anymore. That meant they had to get moving.

"Bee, we have to get out of here."

"Kid, we're not going anywhere until back-up arrives. I don't want that thing waking up," Simmons said, motioning to Cliffjumper.

"Fine. You can stay here." Sam shoved Simmons out of his way. "But Megatron escaped, and that means my fiancée and brother are screwed."

"Megatron _escaped_? As in, ran away? He's an infant robot, where could he go, Toys R Us?"

"Well, it sounds like he had some Decepticon help."

"And you want to go after the little rugrat?"

"Yes." Simmons threw up his arms in frustration. There was no way to talk the kid out of his stupid ideas.

"How do you even know the same Decepticons who took your criminal girlfriend are the ones with Megatron? Eh, you got an answer for that, college boy?"

"Bumblebee told me that Soundwave is super devoted to Megatron. He's the one who kidnapped Mikaela and James to make a trade. My guess is that Megatron was pulling the strings this whole time, and he grew impatient waiting for a switch."

"That's a lot of theory and very little fact, kid."

"Well-"

In an attempt to end the bickering, Bumblebee stepped between the feuding humans.

_Where are we going now?... Plane, train, or automobile?_

"I don't know, Bee. But if these Decepticons were here like Starscream said, maybe there are more. Ones who can lead us to their headquarters."

"These are the only two here," Starscream said, rising from his position at Cliffjumper's side. "If you want to find their base you'll have to head north. Far north. These two were only here for him," he added, pointing to the liaison.

Simmons gulped while Sam suppressed a snort. He couldn't help but see the irony in Simmons being the one chased by alien robots, when a few years earlier he had been the one terrorizing people in his quest. Bumblebee was hardly amused, motioning for Starscream to continue revealing his findings.

"The Autobot based his alt mode on a real car, down to the license plate. He originated in Canada. The same is true of the femme."

Bumblebee made a squeal and started to wave his arms. When Starscream failed to understand, he played back what the jet had just said, adding his own emphasis with volume.

_The Autobot…The Autobot…The __**Autobot**__._

"Yes, the mech is an Autobot," Starscream answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Bumblebee pointed at the downed bot's spark chamber, where the purple Decepticon symbol was still glowing.

_If that's the truth here…What is that?_

"That is Megatron's latest weapon."

"'Latest weapon?' That's impossible, or have you forgotten that your old boss is now in diapers?" Simmons sneered.

"It was developed by Megatron many years ago, but continued by Soundwave. Clearly, he has finally perfected it."

"Perfected what?" Sam asked. "We're sort of running out of time here."

"Branding. Megatron wanted a way to ensure loyalty, so he came up with the idea of branding a mech or femme as a Decepticon."

"You mean like Bee's Autobot symbol?"

"No. The brands are placed upon the spark, as you can see, infecting it with nanobots. This allows Soundwave to rewire the bot to do whatever he needs. In theory."

"So these two were 'branded'? Mind-controlled?" Simmons asked.

Starscream nodded. "I suspect that they were test subjects. Soundwave often practiced his experiments on prisoners of war."

Releasing a whine, Bumblebee looked back at the down at Cliffjumper and Yellow Rose. Sam felt bad for his guardian. It had been hard enough for Bee to fight Cliffjumper when he thought he was a Decepticon, but to now realize that he was still an Autobot must have been a thousand times worse.

"So this Soundwave guy can control any Transformer with that thing on their chest?" Simmons asked. "Is there any way to turn it off?"

"Death seems to work."

* * *

A/N: If anyone wants to know about Bee's background with Yellow Rose, I might do a one-shot on it. It depends on if people are interested.

And now you can start to understand the title! Woohoo!


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. I do have some JaAm.

Chapter 13

Optimus Prime was rarely disappointed by his troops. More often than not, he was secretly proud of everything they accomplished in the seemingly never-ending war with the Decepticons. Now, however, disappointment threatened to overtake his entire being. He had failed his brother for the second time in his life.

It had been one thing to learn that an impatient Sam had dragged Bumblebee and Starscream off on a rescue mission. In fact, it was an understandable human reaction. But to know that by leaving the base to join the search effort had resulted in Megatron's kidnapping (or rescue) was a tough blow for Optimus. He should have known that Soundwave, being the tactician that he was, would take advantage of the situation. The Decepticon's plan couldn't have been better executed: humans and Autobots were distracted by various kidnapping attempts, leaving them confused. Then, while attempting to rescue the hostages the base was left practically defenseless, leaving it open for a Decepticon assault.

The news had come only a short time before landing at a small airbase in Texas. The pilots had sent an advance communication to ensure that no personnel would see the Transformers when they unloaded from the cargo planes. Arriving at the main gate only a few minutes after them were Sam and Bumblebee. Optimus let out a sigh of relief. At least those two were safe. But where was Starscream?

"Well, old friend, it looks like you're still in one piece," Optimus said as the yellow Camaro rolled up to where he was standing. "Have you learned anything as to the location of the missing humans?"

Optimus was slightly surprised to see two humans appear from Bumblebee's interior. Somehow Director Simmons had joined up with the duo. Bumblebee, after transforming, only offered his commander a shrug and averted his gaze. Sam quickly spoke up, answering for his guardian.

"We, uh, met some Autobots turned Decepticons who were really Autobots. Starscream is bringing them here, somehow."

Optimus stared at Sam, waiting for a further explanation. The human boy chuckled nervously before restarting.

"Um, yeah. The Autobots were being controlled by Soundwave by a brand on their spark. Some old thing of Megatron's." Sam paused. "That's what we learned."

Lennox and the other Autobots had gathered around to hear Sam's story. The teen reddened from the attention. Even though no one had said anything about his impulsive decision, he knew that everyone here must assume he was just an immature brat for taking off like he did. At the time it had seemed necessary but now-

"By the way," Simmons said, addressing the military officers around him. "These phones? Not good in an emergency situation. The kid's cell phone got better reception than this piece of crap."

"Did you remember to dial your access code before the number?" Epps asked. Simmons froze. "That's what I thought. Don't insult my tech again."

"Bumblebee, what is the nature of this brand?" Ratchet asked. "How does it work?"

The younger Autobot remained silent, only shrugging his shoulders. Suspicious, Ratchet gave Bumblebee a quick scan and sighed. Irritated, he pulled the yellow bot over and studied his vocal processor.

"Well, once again you've managed to make yourself mute. Repairs won't be easy." Bumblebee let out an innocent whine, glad that he hadn't received a more severe reprimand. No doubt _that_ would come when the repairs began.

"You know that Megatron is gone, right?" Lennox asked, ignoring the bickering Autobots above him. "Know anything about that?"

"Only that he's an NBE on the loose. Just like the old days," Simmons said. "We found him before, we'll find him again."

"But this time he isn't frozen in a few thousand tons of ice," Sam snapped.

Lennox and Optimus simultaneously rubbed their faces in exasperation.

"Look, we'll find Megatron. And Mikaela," Lennox added. "Now, where's Starscream?"

There was a loud crash and the ground shuddered. The mech in question had just landed on the base, but not before unceremoniously dumping Cliffjumper and Yellow Rose onto the tarmac. Ratchet, still glaring at Bumblebee, went over to assess the damage on the two, paying more attention to the one that was still online. The others followed, carefully studying the Decepticon brand on his spark.

"What do you make of it?" Ironhide asked. Being the weapon's specialist, he liked to know every new Decepticon weapon so that he could develop a way to defeat it. Ratchet shook his head.

"It looks like nanobots are inserted during the branding process. The brand itself weakens the spark's natural defenses, allowing for the infestation. Whether or not Cliffjumper is even aware of the situation is dubious. My guess is that his central processors are being overrun by the nanos." The medic leaned in closer. "I might be able to remove them all, but there is no guarantee that he'll come out unscathed."

Optimus nodded. "You'll have to try. He is our only link to the Decepticons now."

"Starscream figured out where he came from," Sam quickly said. "We should check there, you know, in case the rest of them are there, too. In Canada, that is. And then Ratchet can do his surgery without all of us just sitting around."

If not for the gravity of the situation, Optimus would have offered Sam a smile. The boy, despite his rambling style, had managed to at least think up a cohesive plan. One that checked a potential lead while allowing Ratchet the privacy he needed (and demanded) for a grueling procedure. The Matrix of Leadership had truly known that Sam was a born leader, even if the human didn't know it himself.

Before giving an affirmative answer, Optimus looked down to check if Lennox was also on board. The major had been able to relate to Sam's dilemma, as his own wife and daughter had almost been victim to Soundwave's scheme. As such, he didn't hold it against the teen for running away without any warning. Catching Optimus' optics, Lennox nodded his approval.

"Starscream, you will tell us the coordinates. Autobots, let's roll out!"

Sam said a silent prayer of thanks as he and Bumblebee headed towards one of the cargo planes. Hopefully, it wouldn't be that long before he had Mikaela and James back where they would be safe and sound.

* * *

A/N: Hehe, 'roll out' must be included at least once in every TF fic. Sorry, but it's a basic rule.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. I do own all the necessary ingredients for a sandwich.

A/N: Guess who's back (it hasn't been that long, has it?).

Chapter 14

Mikaela awoke with a start. Scared out of her nightmares by a loud boom, she ran her hands through her hair to reassure her subconscious that everything was where it should be. After a moment, her hands paused in their searching as she realized that something _was_ missing. All remnants of sleep were instantly erased from her mind as she noticed that baby James was no longer resting in her arms.

Starting to panic, Mikaela began to search the immediate area, hoping the baby was only by her side. When he failed to turn up, Mikaela cautiously got to her feet, straining her eyes in the darkness of the cave-prison. A light suddenly filled the chamber, and she blinked in the scene.

Since having fallen asleep in a Decepticon's arms, Mikaela could only guess where she was. Definitely still in a cave, but this was a better furbished one than before. The main chamber was bustling with Decepticons, walking back and forth between various computer modules. She was in a small room that branched off, separated by human-sized jail bars. However, they hadn't been installed properly, as it looked like they were only leaning against the cave walls. Filing away the potentially helpful piece of information, Mikaela went back to searching for James.

"The youngling is in the berth," someone said. Mikaela jumped, searching for the source of the voice. Chained at the back of the room was a Transformer she had never seen before. He was about the same size as Optimus, although a little bulkier. He even had some similar colorings. Mikaela was relieved to see a large, Autobot sigil on the bot's shoulder. Serving a greater relief was the small crib resting at the mysterious Autobot's feet. Sleeping inside was James, looking as content as ever.

Settling down next to the basinet, Mikaela looked up at the Autobot who had provided her a light to search with. Once she was sure that no other Autobots or humans were being held captive with them, she started to ask the mech questions.

"Who are you? Where are we?"

"I am Ultra Magnus," the Autobot answered. "As to our location, I can only conclude that we are on the planet Earth. The Decepticons responsible for my capture disabled my navigational system."

"Ultra Magnus," Mikaela repeated. "Are you the only Autobot here?

"Two others were with me, designations Cliffjumper and Yellow Rose. Both were removed several days ago. I do not know what has happened to them."

"Do you know what the Decepticons are planning? Who's behind all this?"

"It seems Soundwave is the current Decepticon leader, although he is acting to restore Megatron to power. From what I have observed, they are constructing a protoform for his spark."

Mikaela frowned. "But he's already in a new protoform."

"Yes, but it is the protoform of a youngling. Soundwave is creating a form for an adult."

"So they're going to make Megatron bigger and badder?"

Ultra Magnus nodded. James, who had started to wake up, found himself in Mikaela's arms before his eyes fully opened. Ultra Magnus cocked his head in order to study the baby. Seeing him straining against his restrains, Mikaela shifted so that the Autobot had a better view. She knew that many of the Autobot new arrivals weren't used to being around humans, let alone kids.

"This is your youngling?"

Mikaela blushed. "No, he's my boyfriend- I mean, my fiancé's brother." She then realized that she had failed to introduce herself. "I'm Mikaela Banes, and this is James Witwicky."

"I have heard the human surname Witwicky. Is there a connection between the youngling and Samuel Witwicky?"

"Yeah, James is Sam's brother." She paused. "Sam's the one who first beat Megatron."

"Please elaborate. I have yet to hear the full account of the encounter."

Mikaela smiled as she began to relive the day that first brought her and Sam together. At least, the first time she had seen him as more than just another dork being bullied by Trent. Ultra Magnus listened politely, not minding when she skimmed over some parts of the story (such as insulting Bumblebee's 'crappy Camaro' and the entire incident with Sam's parents). By the time she finished, the Decepticons mulling around had all but disappeared, and it seemed that the prisoners were the only ones left. Placing James back into the crib, Mikaela decided to study the cell door.

'Door' was an incorrect term. It looked like the Decepticons had truly ripped some bars out of a jail and just laid them to rest here. There was nothing to keep the bars in place except for their extreme weight. Mikaela tried to push them forward but she wasn't strong enough. On a whim she tried to slip between the bars, but the crossbeams were too close together for her to slide through. It became clear that the only way in or out was for a Transformer to physically pull the bars away. She looked back at the chained Ultra Magnus. She wasn't sure if she could help him break his bonds, but if they even got one limb loose she had no doubt that it would be enough for him to get free. Then, he could use his strength to take down the bars and set them all free.

"Hey, Ultra Magnus, are any of the chains weaker than the others?"

"I have found that this one," he indicated the coil around his right arm, "is weaker than the others by a slight degree. However, I have already tried to break it and have failed."

"Then we just have to try again," Mikaela smiled. "And this time, you'll have help."

Moving James' crib out of the way, Mikaela climbed up Ultra Magnus' leg in order to reach his arm. Settling onto his shoulder, she studied the links in order to see if there was one that was weaker than the others. Sure enough, there was one with a minute crack. It was just behind the large bot's field of vision, which is why he'd failed to capitalize on the weakness before.

Directing the Autobot, Mikaela was pleased to see the already stressed link twist the next time that Ultra Magnus pulled away from the wall. He focused every ounce of strength on that one insignificant link, which to him was no larger than a finger but to his human companion was far bigger. Mikaela bit her lip in eager anticipation. She could _see _the full escape in her mind now. The crack grew a fraction wider, and Mikaela knew that this would work.

They were going to get out, and they were going to be safe.

* * *

A/N: Does Ultra Magnus have a nickname, i.e. is he called Ultra or Magnus?


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I had some school reading (Sherlock Holmes is awesome, by the way).

Chapter 15

William Lennox exhaled in exasperation. What had started as a rescue mission of Sam and Bumblebee (more of a recovery than an actual rescue), had fast turned into something bigger. With Starscream's help, the kid had managed to find some Decepticons who had, in turn, provided clues to where the rest of the Decepticons and their human hostages were. Now they were all on a non-stop flight to Canada, with permission from their government, of course.

Epps was far more excited about this expedition than Lennox. After years of complaining and whining about how often Decepticons picked their fights in arid deserts, they were finally going to a cool location. Even the severity of the situation wasn't going to lower his spirits too much. For Sam's sake he kept his feelings to himself, instead listening to some music. After a while, Lennox took one of his ear buds and joined him, allowing the beat to calm him down.

Every soldier had their own way for preparing for a potential firefight. Before the appearance of the Autobots, Epps and Lennox were accustomed to sharing stories and making fun of their fellow soldiers. There was an undeniable sense of brotherhood amongst their comrades. But ever since the arrival of their alien companions, many NEST soldiers had become accustomed to brining along music players to distract themselves. Despite their current comfort with the Autobots, it had once been difficult to make casual conversation with aliens from another freaking _planet_, so music had become an escape from awkward silences. It had never bothered the Autobots themselves, as they filled the same silence with their own internal communications. Now, however, it was just as likely that the bots would share music with the humans and vice versa.

Seated next to Lennox was Sam, who was almost shaking with anticipation. Sensing this, the yellow Camaro parked in front of the boy started to play the same song that was currently playing on Epps' iPod. A small smile escaped Sam's lips at his car's actions. Unfortunately, the annoyed headlights of Ironhide quieted the younger Autobot down, and it wasn't long before Sam started to look nervous again.

"Kid, it'll be fine," Lennox said, trying to be quiet for privacy's sake. He knew the kid would never admit to being brave, even though it was clear to every soldier and Autobot who'd ever met him that Sam was an incredibly brave person. Sometimes Sam seemed to forget that he had single-handedly saved the world. Multiple worlds, even. Yet he still felt embarrassed when surrounded by the NEST soldiers that secretly envied his courage. Unable to say any of this out loud without feeling awkward, Lennox gave Sam a reassuring pat on the arm.

Sam, for his part, managed to calm down at the major's reassurance. He accepted the goodwill gesture and closed his eyes, imagining his reunion with his fiancée and baby brother. It wouldn't be long now.

* * *

"Yes, Magnus, you're doing it!" Mikaela cheered, scrambling down from the large mech's shoulder as he continued to pull at his bonds. "You're almost there!"

The lights in the main cave suddenly returned to full strength, and Ultra Magnus stopped what he was doing. Mikaela peered through the bars to watch what was happening with the Decepticons. Hopefully they wouldn't be long, so that Magnus could continue to work at loosening his bonds undetected.

A larger mech was walking through the cave, holding a smaller bot in his arms. From the series of chirps the smaller being made, Mikaela could only guess that it was a protoform. She tried to get a better look by pressing against the bars. As far as the Autobots knew, only Jazz and Megatron (renamed 'Hot Rod') had been granted youngling protoforms. If the Decepticons had managed to bring one online, then this was a major development in the war.

To her horror, Mikaela saw that the happily cooing protoform was none other than Megatron. Somehow, the Decepticons had retrieved him from Diego Garcia without making a trade. Mikaela gulped as another thought crossed her mind. What if the Autobots _had_ traded Megatron for her and James, only for the Decepticons to attack them? Mikaela dismissed the thought with a quick shake of her head. She had to hold onto the hope that everyone was okay and still looking for them.

The large mech and his charge continued deeper into the cave, eventually disappearing from sight. After the rumbling footsteps grew too quiet to hear, Mikaela motioned for Ultra Magnus to continue his escape attempt.

"Do you know where they're taking Megatron?" Mikaela asked.

The Autobot groaned as he pulled against the weak link. "If they headed down the left tunnel, then they are headed to the construction chamber."

"I couldn't see any other tunnel."

"Then your human eyes aren't strong enough for this darkness. The construction chamber is where Megatron's adult form is being made. If that Decepticon brought him there, then the transplant will already be happening."

"Let's hope that it's not finished then," Mikaela said, picking up James from his crib. "How's the chain coming?"

There was a loud pop and suddenly Ultra Magnus' right arm was free. Mikaela smiled as the mech flexed his arm before attacking his other restraints with a fury. In a matter of moments he had removed all the chains from his frame and was moving freely around their cell. He paused near the jail bars, head cocked to one side. After seemingly making sure that no Decepticons were nearby, Ultra Magnus gently grasped the bars and lifted the entire structure, leaning it against the opposing wall. Praying for James not the make a sound, Mikaela followed the bot out. Once she was clear, Magnus replaced the bars.

"Will you be able to walk the entire way to the surface?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"How far is it?"

The Autobot seemed to do some mental calculations and cast an optic down at Mikaela and James. "It might be best for you to ride." Ultra Magnus transformed into a sweet looking car-carrier truck. Without hesitating, Mikaela climbed into the cab.

"Alright, James. We're going home."

* * *

A/N: Extra credit to anyone who can guess what band/group Will and Epps were listening to.

Fights start again next chapter :)


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers, nor do I own any of the songs used.

A/N: Oops, I realized that I forgot to include the lyrics that should have hinted at the correct song. My bad, as Optimus would say. As such, bonus points for everyone!

Chapter 16

Deep inside the earth, several Decepticon scientists inspected the protoform before them. The spark signature was that of their fallen leader, of this they were certain. They were equally certain that their master did not want to mature at the gruelingly slow pace that was considered normal for a Cybertronian youth. This was why they had developed a new, adult protoform for Megatron to inhabit.

This new body was far more impressive than the one Megatron had previously occupied. All known weaknesses had been eliminated, while improvements had been made to the already formidable weapons system. At the personal request of Megatron himself, safeguards were added to ensure that telemetry and magnetism would never prove to be a hindrance again. What appeared to be basic armor had a dual purpose, acting primarily as a defense yet capable of being reformed into even more weapons, should Megatron ever need them. Every single new feature was aimed solely towards gaining every advantage in battle. Faster thrusters, stronger joints, better defense.

However, the Decepticons had overlooked a few very important factors. No one considered that the transplant would fail. It had once been a common occurrence on Cybertron, so it shouldn't be different in this case. Since it was clear to the Decepticons that Megatron's consciousness was intact within his youthful protoform, it was assumed that he would be able to handle the transplant like a mature adult, as had happened early when the Autobot Ratchet had moved the traitorous Starscream's spark into a new form.

Had the Decepticon scientists' had more respect for human culture, one of them might have known that 'the best laid plans of mice and men [and robots] oft go awry'. Or they might have considered the concept of Murphy's Law, in that anything that can go wrong eventually would. As it was, all would be caught off guard due to their ignorance.

None of the scientists had the same medical skill as Ratchet. Rather, many of them put the wounded out of their misery rather than try to heal a broken bot. According to their lord, there was no place for the wounded in a time of war. An injured Decepticon was better of trying to heal on their own, rather than trust the medics who would prefer to use them for spare parts. The only exception to this rule was Megatron himself. While any other Decepticon would be left for dead, the former Lord Protector would always be revived, no matter the cost.

Securing the protoform's spark into his hand, a lone Decepticon pried the fragile orb from its resting place. Megatron, unable to control his instincts, cried out in protest. The mech ignored him, careful to sever every link binding body to spark. The task would have been easier with a trained medic, but the Decepticons were forced to work with what little they had.

Watching the proceedings from a video link, Soundwave was satisfied to see the operation going well. Safe in space, he was attempting to monitor Autobot frequencies, to make sure that they would not interrupt the delicate procedure. However, his attention waned as the transplant took longer and longer. Why bother worrying about the insignificant Autobots when success was so close at hand?

Had the second-in-command been paying attention, he would have noticed how close the Autobots and their human allies were getting to his selected Earth base.

* * *

Bumblebee was one of the first Autobots to speed away from the Canadian air base. He remained a respectful distance behind Optimus, but his speedometer kept threatening to overtake his commander. It wasn't out of excitement but anxiousness. Both he and the boy riding within him were full of anticipation as they drove nearer to the coordinates given to them by Starscream. If the Seeker was correct, then they would find Mikaela and James on the outskirts of a small Canadian town, notable for being surrounded by a deep expanse of caves.

Ahead of them, Optimus braked suddenly. Bumblebee swerved to avoid hitting the Autobot leader, causing Sam to let out a confused swear. Riding behind in Ironhide, Lennox and Epps had a better view of what had caused Optimus to stop.

Driving on the opposite side of the road was a car-carrier truck. Normally, this wouldn't seem out of the ordinary to anyone. But Optimus' strange reaction made the humans look closer at the approaching vehicle. It was red, blue, and white in color, but it lacked any advertisements or phone numbers that one would expect to see on a business vehicle. The only visible marking was that of a face-like symbol, the same one that rested on Optimus' grill and Bumblebee's steering wheel. The Autobot sigil.

Without needing to communicate with words, the NEST team and the new arrival all turned off on the nearest side road, where they would be safe from the eyes of a potential passerby. A young woman stepped out of the car-carrier with a bundle in her arms, allowing it to transform into a large mech. Optimus and the other Autobots responded in kind once free of their own human passengers.

While most of the NEST operatives were watching the new Transformer approach Optimus, two humans could have cared less. The minute Sam locked eyes with Mikaela, all of the emotion of the past day rushed through his veins, temporarily overwhelming him. When Mikaela reached out a free arm to hold Sam, he almost lost it completely. Only the presence of Bumblebee, the Autobots, and the NEST soldiers who would never let him live it down kept him from flat out bawling. Instead, he focused on checking over Mikaela and his baby brother for any injuries. Satisfied that they were safe, he let out a shaky breath.

"You two aren't allowed to ever leave my sight. Like, ever."

Mikaela let out a snort. "What, I can't have my own friends?"

"Depends on who they are," Sam said softly. "I take it he's a friend?" He motioned to the transformed car-carrier truck. Mikaela nodded.

"That's Ultra Magnus. He saved us."

"That was my job."

"He was just helping."

"You have to tell me everything that happened," Sam said. "But first, I think someone needs a diaper change." Once again fighting a wave of emotion, Sam took his baby brother into his arms. Unfortunately, the shift woke up James, causing him to cry out. Sam sighed. "Welcome back."

* * *

A/N: Okay, actual fighting starts next chapter.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. If I did, I would drive around with Bumblebee all day long and never post another fic. Sorry.

A/N: Okay, so the fighting gets pushed back another chapter. I thought it would fit here but I couldn't do it.

Chapter 17

Optimus Prime looked with amazement at the Autobot before him. Although various Autobots had arrived either on Earth or Cybertron, many had been feared lost. Although Optimus had made peace with the fact that those under his command sometimes passed into the Matrix, it still plagued him that he did not know exactly what had happened to a multitude of others. One particular bot whose memory had haunted him was that of Ultra Magnus. Of all the Autobots, Magnus was one of the best. In times of crisis, the humble mech could always be trusted with leading the Autobots in his absence. Optimus had been profoundly affected to hear that his most trusted friend had gone MIA after a fierce battle with Decepticons several years before the Mission City battle. His name had been ruefully added to the list of Autobots presumed offline.

Yet there was no doubt that this bot was none other than Ultra Magnus, alive and well. Optimus offered a hand to his friend, more so to reassure himself that the mech truly existed. When an equally sized hand took hold of his, Optimus smiled.

"You have missed a lot, old friend."

"The human female, Mikaela Banes, filled in the gaps, Optimus Prime," Ultra Magnus said. His optics rested on the other humans and Autobots in the back alley they had transformed in. His soldier's instincts told him that all present were allies. Without asking any questions, he continued his report. "There has been a development with Megatron."

"You know the location of his protoform?"

"It was taken to the same location where I was held with the humans." A somber tone took over Magnus' voice. "They have constructed an adult form for his spark."

Optimus accepted this information with a nod. He had started to suspect Soundwave's plan, and Magnus's words confirmed it. The Decepticons were going to remake Megatron in a new body, but they had no idea what they were meddling with.

When the idea of what the Decepticons were truly planning had first come to mind, the Autobot commander had asked Ratchet the affects of transplanting a spark from a youngling to an adult. The answer had not been comforting. Despite the new revelation that Megatron's former mind was intact in his youngling body, he was still only a vulnerable infant. Ratchet hypothesized that the transplant would be highly traumatic for Megatron's spark, which was already confused as to whether or not he was the adult Decepticon leader or an innocent protoform.

"Can you show us where the Decepticon base is?" Ultra Magnus nodded. "Then let's roll out."

* * *

Mikaela had been almost constantly holding baby James ever since they had been kidnapped the day before. Although there were a few moment where she had let him rest in a crib, she had grown accustomed to the weight of the little guy. Now it felt weird to have both arms to herself. One of the soldiers had, after endlessly reassuring both her and Sam that the baby would be safe, taken James back to the Canadian air base. There, he would be flown to Diego Garcia and reunited with his parents. Even though the logic was sound, Mikaela still felt uneasy once she couldn't see the baby.

Now, she and Sam were on their way back to the dark caverns where only half an hour earlier she had been held captive. Lennox had tried to order her to go back to the base with James, but she knew her place was by Sam's side. They hadn't managed to keep her away before, and it definitely wouldn't now. She owed several Decepticons serious payback.

Sam cast a nervous glance at Bumblebee's radio. The Autobot sensed his emotion and responded with humor.

_Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn._

"You got that right, Bumblebee," Mikaela said, adjusting a power tool in her hand. Several weeks earlier she had left a repair kit in Bumblebee's trunk in case there was ever a situation where the Autobot needed repair. Now it was her torture kit.

"It scares me when you get like this, Mikaela," Sam said, unable to take his eyes off the device in her hands.

"Then you better not get in the way."

_I'm on the highway to hell._

* * *

One of the Decepticon scientists, unaware that a human female was personally plotting his demise, was holding a highly important object within his metal hands. Having successfully disconnected Megatron's spark from the youngling protoform, all that was left to do was reattach the various wires and cables to the new body. This was completed within a few minutes, and all that was left to do was to wait for Megatron to awaken in his new form.

In space, Soundwave waited with anticipation. He had calculated the probability of success versus failure. Since the chance of his plan failing was nearly 20%, he had surreptitiously remained in the safety of space whilst Decepticons with the mental capacity of drones were left below. If anything went wrong, no necessary personnel would be lost from the Decepticon forces. Most importantly, if anything went wrong, _he _would not be lost.

For a few minutes, nothing happened. The spark did not respond to its new body as it should have. Most transplanted sparks responded instantly to their new protoforms, making connections and surveying functions within seconds. Megatron's spark did not do this.

Deep within its core, a consciousness was fighting for life. Part of it was that of a ruthless Decepticon lord. Part was of a partially rehabilitated youngling who had been torn from the only form it had known. From these battling entities a third identity began to emerge. It started as a middle ground, an attempt to find a compromise between the two highly different sides. Yet it was corrupted by the larger, stronger entity. Soon, all that was left of the youngling was instinct, the most basic need for survival. It was so strong that, when the third entity absorbed it, it took over.

The Decepticon scientists watched with trepidation. The procedure was taking far longer than advised. Another minute passed before a silvery light shone from within the protoform. Radiating from the spark, thousands of advanced connections, similar to human synapses, came together. Every millimeter of the body shivered, testing what moved where and how. Satisfied, the being stood from its own power.

One Decepticon stepped forward, watching his master study his impressive claws. "Lord Megatron?"

The mech paused, curling his razor sharp fingers. His circuits began to process the words that had been spoken. Was he this Lord Megatron? To part of him it sounded right, familiar. But that was only a small part. The larger identity disagreed. Searching for the Cybertronian words to describe who he really was, he spoke in his new voice.

"Galvatron." Flexing his talons, the formidable turned towards the cowering Decepticons. There was a whir as he summoned a cannon into existence. It was time to test exactly what this body could do. "I am Galvatron."

* * *

A/N: *Dramatic music* Who saw that one coming? Wait, rhetorical question.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Do I look like a toy company?

A/N: Well, I've moved into my dorm. Once I've settled in I'll try to update faster.

Chapter 18

Optimus was the first one to detect the explosion. He felt the earth tremble through his tires, the unseen source coming from below the surface. A quick comm. from Ultra Magnus confirmed that the blast had originated at the Decepticon base. A sense of urgency overcame the Autobot leader. He could already see the cave opening that would lead into the Decepticon den, but it sounded like they were too late. If Megatron's spark had already been transplanted, it was no doubt he who was destroying things.

Ignoring common sense, Optimus drove straight into the cave's mouth, hardly allowing time for his scanners to pick up on any life forms. It was a great risk to go into a fight unaware, but he held onto the hope that if he got to Megatron in time he could still be saved. His recklessness earned him several angry texts from Ironhide, but the leader forced himself to ignore them. There would be time for them to chastise him later. His brother needed him _now._

The other Autobots followed their commander into the cave. Ultra Magnus was first, sending out digital schematics to the others so that no one would get lost. Although he had been unable to completely verify the caves' geography, he had recorded all that he had been able to see. This allowed him to form a composite map made up of a variety of 3-dimensional images. With it, the others were able to traverse the caverns with little difficulty. Before long, they had passed the very cell where he and Mikaela had been held. The deeper the caravan went, the louder the explosions became.

"We're getting close," Sam said, drumming his fingers on Bumblebee's steering wheel. His eyes were focused on the dark corners of the cave, looking for any sign of a Decepticon ambush.

_No shit, Sherlock._

"Bumblebee, watch your language!" Sam exclaimed, surprised at his guardian.

_That'll be the day._

"What's with his attitude?" Mikaela asked in a whisper. Sam told her about the mysterious Yellow Rose and Cliffjumper incident while she continued fashioning weapons out of power tools. At the end she nodded. "Magnus told me that there were two other Autobots with him. It must have been them."

Bumblebee screeched to a halt, oblivious to the Twins that almost rear ended him.

_Play that again._

"What, that Magnus was here with those two? Why's that important?"

Sam's eyes went wide as he caught on to what his guardian was thinking. "Ultra Magnus was here with Cliffjumper and Yellow Rose? Cliffjumper and Yellow Rose, who were _mind-controlled _by Decepticons?"

"So?"

"So how do we know he's not being influenced, too?"

"Uh, maybe because he let me go?" Mikaela said. "What would the Decepticons gain from that?"

"I don't know. Maybe they haven't turned it on yet."

"Or maybe he's fine. He saved my life. Drop it."

Sam reluctantly did as Mikaela asked, as did Bumblebee. The Camaro rejoined the line of cars, now at the end rather than its previous position at the front. Despite Mikaela's warning, he sent a brief message to Optimus about his concerns. The Autobot leader sent a reassuring response that he would keep an eye on the soldier. Only then did Bumblebee relax. A promise from a Prime was the best he could ask for. He just hoped Mikaela was right and that there was nothing to worry about. But after nearly killing a friend, he wasn't going to take any chances.

* * *

Soundwave watched the destruction of his fellow Decepticons with resignation. He had suspected that this would happen. Now that it was confirmed, he would have to move on to the next phase without his master's guidance. Transforming his satellite appendages for flight mode, the Decepticon headed to Mars, where the space bridge terminal would take him back to Cybertron and the next step of his plan.

* * *

Galvatron took in the destruction he caused with great satisfaction. His talons easily ripped through one Decepticon's armor while he simultaneously shot another through the spark chamber. Three other Decepticons lay on the ground, offlined without any effort. Powerful warriors had been reduced to scrap before they could even defend themselves. One small scout remained standing, and the mech was cowardly enough to run away. Galvatron growled. Nothing would escape his wrath.

He followed the fleeing bot into the cave, going deeper into the maze of stone. The scout had the advantage here, as he was able to run under stalactites and around stalagmites with ease. After ducking and dodging several of these structures, an impatient Galvatron started to blast them out of the way. He didn't care that it weakened the strength of the roof, which threatened to collapse. He had to destroy the Decepticon. He had to destroy everything.

When he had been Megatron, he had only destroyed the weak and unnecessary. As Hot Rod, he had only destroyed toys. Yet this new incarnation had an insatiable need to break, burn, and demolish the world. Not for domination, not for fun, just for survival. Galvatron knew he would die if he didn't destroy. It was the reason his spark burned.

The scout let out a squeal of fear when Galvatron entered the chamber he was hiding in. A large device was before him, and he was frantically pushing buttons on a computer terminal. What remained of Megatron remembered that this was a space bridge, although he could only guess where it led. The scout slammed a fist onto the panel, activating the bridge. He then made a dash for the glowing portal. Galvatron leapt forward, grabbing the scout's head in one massive hand. His other hands tore through the mech's back, scratching the spark. The scout let out a mechanical scream before his head was crushed between Galvatron's fingers.

Unopposed, Galvatron faced the space bridge. He took a step towards it when a pain entered his shoulder. It felt like a light pinch, more of a distraction than an actual injury. Turning, he saw several Autobots and humans at the entrance of the chamber he was in. All of them had weapons drawn, ready to attack. Only one wasn't battle ready.

"Where is Megatron's spark?" Optimus Prime asked.

Galvatron growled, counting the enemy. He wasn't even tired from his previous battle, but the Autobots had him cornered and outnumbered. He cast an optic back at the space bridge, leaving the other on the imposing figure of Prime. His spark was torn; half of him wanted to fight while the other wanted to flee. What was left of Megatron wanted nothing more than to battle Prime with his new form. There was no doubt that his new weapons and abilities would offline his former brother once and for all. What little remained of the youngling Hot Rod argued for running, as he refused to fight to the one bot that had unconditionally cared for him as a protoform, the only one that had made an effort to save him. The two identities clashed for only a nanosecond, but to each it felt far longer. Finally, it was Galvatron who took over to settle the debate. He summoned a gun and fired, not at Optimus, but at a low stalactite. Then, he rushed through the space bridge as the cave collapsed around him.

The Autobots quickly gathered up their humans, shielding them from the falling rocks. Most of the NEST soldiers were safe behind the Autobots, in a tunnel that was sturdy enough to withstand the unknown mech's blast. Optimus, ahead of the others, motioned towards the space bridge. After a second of hesitation, half of the Autobots followed with their human passengers. They had been closer to the bridge than the tunnel, so they had been forced to use the portal to escape. The others stayed with the humans, watching as their comrades disappeared. Bumblebee barely made it through before the part of the cave they'd been in collapsed.

Sam looked around the new environment, nervous that they might have gone into space. Unlike the last time, he didn't have any fancy spacesuits. He was almost relieved to see that they were surrounded by buildings that looked like those he had seen on Cybertron.

"Well, Bee, it looks like you're home again."


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. If I did, then Optimus Prime would narrate my life.

A/N: Sorry about the delay! It seems that moving in made updating _more_ difficult. But I only have one class tomorrow, so I'll write extra chapters then!

Chapter 19

The first thing Optimus observed was that this was not the Cybertron he knew. Rather, it was not the Cybertron he _wanted_ to know. Although he had seen his homeworld ravaged by war, he had also seen the many repairs and improvements made in the past few months. Yet here, there was no such repair. They had though that the power of Unicron and Primus' combined sparks had been a catalyst for the entire plant, but this entire district was untouched. Buildings were crumbling and scrap metal filled the streets.

Optimus ignored the neglect to focus on the matter at hand. He had sensed Megatron's spark with that mech, and that could only mean that he had taken it. It could also mean…

Internal processors raced as Optimus remembered what the Autobots had seen in the caves. Megatron's protoform had been tossed into a corner. But the adult protoform Ultra Magnus had witnessed the Decepticons building hadn't been there. A cold shiver passed through Optimus' circuits as he realized the truth. The mech he had seen _was _Megatron.

"Autobots, spread out. If you find him, only attempt to incapacitate him. Avoid lethal force."

"Why?" Ironhide asked. His cannons were already primed, and it was clear that he had been looking forward to beating the slag out of the mysterious Decepticon. "If he has Megatron's spark-"

"He does," Optimus sighed. "He's _using _it."

"_That's _Megatron?" Sideswipe asked. Optimus nodded. "Slag."

"You said it," Sunstreaker added. "Was there a weapon he didn't have?"

"I didn't see a catapault."

"Aside from that."

"No flamethrower-"

"No pepper spray-"

"We get it-"

"Or nuclear bomb-"

"Twins, that's enough!" Optimus snapped, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Just, try not to harm him. There's still a chance to restore him to his protoform."

The Autobots and humans exchanged worried glances. It didn't seem likely that they would be able to correct the damage the Decepticons had done. Youngling sparks weren't meant for adult bodies. Chances were that Megatron's spark had been damaged beyond repair. Especially since this new Megatron had attacked them in the cave on Earth without reason. And with all the new additions to his weapons system, how could they risk leaving him online? Although each and every one of them followed Optimus' orders without question, they were worried that his hope for saving Megatron was blinding him. After all, there really wasn't that much to be saved at this point. His brother and friend had died a long time ago.

As the humans and Autobots split into teams, Sam stayed out of the way with Mikaela and Bumblebee. The space bridge had disappeared, leaving them trapped until they found the one the Autobots had constructed in Simfur. Although the others were more concerned with finding Megatron, Sam was distracted by the portal. He didn't know how long the Decepticons had been using that base, but for some reason they'd deemed a space bridge necessary for their plans. He'd always thought that the Decepticons had abandoned Cybertron to the Autobots, yet now it seemed that there was a far more sinister plan. A thousand possibilities ran through Sam's mind. His best guess was that the Decepticons had been secretly sending troops from Earth to Cybertron, where they'd form an army and then attack the innocent Neutrals and Autobots for control. The war would just start all over again, and Sam was certain that Cybertron would not survive a second assault. Not while it was still healing, with wounds as fresh as the ones he saw.

* * *

On the far side of the planet, a second space bridge activated. Soundwave emerged at a leisurely pace, knowing that no opposition would meet him on the Cybertronian end. The only defense was on the Mars side, and he'd dispatched of those Autobots easily. Now he had no one between himself and the next phase of the plan. His sensors had shown that several Cybertronians had used the Earth space bridge only a short time before he had departed from Mars. If the Autobots had discovered the terminal then they might realize its purpose. Yet there was still the outside possibility that the surviving Decepticons and Galvatron had used it, in which case the plan was safe. Although this was less likely, there was still an 18% chance of this occurring.

Listening to the nearest Autobot comm. frequency, Soundwave scanned for any clue as to what had happened in those final moments in the cave. He detected several Earth Autobots, including Optimus Prime. This was a negative development. Further scans revealed that Galvatron had passed through preceding the Autobots. The latter were now searching for the former, a good sign. If they were distracted by Galvatron, then they might not notice the modifications to the district.

Soundwave began his flight to the aforementioned city. He instinctually turned off all the security systems he passed, ensuring that his presence went unnoticed by his fellow Cybertronians. He could not dare risk being detected by Optimus Prime. After all he'd been responsible for, he knew he would not escape the Autobot commander online.

To be safe, Soundwave didn't even contact the other Decepticons on the planet. The only thing he did that could alert the Autobots was to send out an encoded signal, one which would last only a nanosecond on an exceptionally high frequency. Although the Cybertronians had superb hearing, this particular setting was too high for any normal bot to overhear. Only Galvatron, with all of his enhanced features, would be aware of it. Upon hearing it, his secondary processors would override his primary spark functions in order to keep him from rampaging as he had in the cave. It would also force him to go to the Decepticon base, where he would be safe from Autobot attack.

Soundwave detected a faint responding signal, confirming that Galvatron was headed towards the base. As soon as he was there his primary circuits could be repaired and restored, so that he could command his new army. Then, a new reign would begin for Cybertron, and it would start with the conquering of Earth.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. I believe the franchise started several decades before I was born, so my ownership is rather implausible.

I also do not own Pixar or Disney.

Chapter 20

"Man, Bee, I thought you guys were cleaning up this place."

"Seriously, is like a robot ghetto?"

"Yeah, where's Wall-E when you need him?"

"I knew Wheelie reminded me of someone!"

Bumblebee ignored the two teenagers laughing at his feet. He had never made fun of _their_ homeworld so viciously. Still, they had a point. This part of Cybertron looked like some serious battles had taken place just yesterday, a sure impossibility. Yet there was no other explanation as to why this city was in such disarray.

Using his natural scouting abilities, the yellow Autobot began scanning the nearby structures. His bright blue optics found every dent and scorch mark on the rust covered walls. While the other bots had started to search for Megatron, none had taken a moment to observe what was right in front of them. This damage was fresh. The area was uninhabited, and neither the Neutrals nor the Autobots would purposefully destroy buildings like this.

Bumblebee took a step back, trying to take in the big picture. He started to see patterns in the carnage. Blast marks spaced so far apart, with the faint outline of circles underneath. Bee's blue optics blinked in disbelief. It almost looked like a firing range. Back at Diego Garcia, the humans had set up various targets for the Autobots to practice with. One of the most common targets was a large circle with smaller circles colored within, so that shots would get more and more accurate. From these crude targets, it looked like whoever was firing was _very _accurate.

"Bee. Bee! Down here." The Autobot looked down at his charge, who was wearing an unusually annoyed look on his face. It seemed Sam had been trying to get his attention for some time. "What's going on?"

Bumblebee cocked his head in confusion. Sam rolled his eyes before pointing to the demolished buildings.

"What're you looking at? You know this place?"

_Only at Target…Target…__**Target**__._

"What?"

"Sam, look at the walls. They're burned up," Mikaela said, having caught on to Bumblebee's allusion. "And look at how they're situated. Like a shooting range."

"Shit, you're right. You don't think Decepticons are here?"

"I don't see any Autobots blowing up buildings."

"Your negativity is not helping now, Mikaela." Sam put a hand to his head, as if it would help him think. "The Decepticons had a space bridge thing leading to this area. This _training_ area. They must have been going back and forth. Why?"

It was Mikaela's turn to roll her eyes. "Because all the Decepticons came to Earth when they found Cybertron controlled by Autobots. They've been sneaking back in order to take over. Duh."

"Scout, why are you not searching?"

Sam and Mikaela's bickering ended instantly when Ultra Magnus made his way over. The teens were surprised to see that the other Autobots and soldiers had all left the area. It looked like they were the only ones left with Ultra Magnus.

Bumblebee tried to mime to Magnus that he was watching over Sam and Mikaela. It was rather interesting to watch, as Bee at first tried to piece together radio clips before resorting to charades. Unfortunately, it seemed that Optimus' best soldier wasn't well acquainted with the party game, and it had taken Mikaela stepping up to fully explain the situation.

"They can assist you in your searching. Now hurry. We have a limited time to save Megatron."

"Hey, why aren't you searching?" Sam asked. Mikaela kicked him, but he ignored her.

"I am serving as a central rendezvous site. After searching, the other Autobots shall return here."

"Why here?"

"Sam!"

"It is where we arrived. Is there a better place to meet?"

"How about anywhere else? You know, someplace safe? This is your home planet. You guys could just meet in a safer city."

Ultra Magnus looked down at Sam. For a moment neither blinked, challenging the reasoning of the other with just their eyes and optics. Mikaela placed herself behind Sam, sensing a change in Magnus that hadn't been there during their captivity. She couldn't pinpoint what it was, but this wasn't the same bot she had met in the cave.

Bumblebee, who had been suspicious from the start, took a step between the older mech and his charges. Ultra Magnus narrowed his optics.

"Youngling, what are you doing?"

_**You…shall…not…pass!**_

"Autobot, you shall follow orders. Step aside!"

The yellow Autobot looked down at Sam for reassurance before lunging at the larger bot. Surprise was on his side, and he was able to pry open Ultra Magnus' spark chamber. Magnus let out a roar while Bumblebee began to make several excited noises. There, in plain sight, was the Decepticon brand poisoning Ultra Magnus' spark.

"I knew it," Sam muttered. "I can't believe I was right."

"Shut it, Sam. We have a bigger problem than your ego right now."

Before Sam could protest, Bumblebee was thrown over their heads by the now furious Ultra Magnus. Sam grabbed Mikaela's hand, ducking down while leading her to a safe spot. Of course, there wasn't much left to protect them against Ultra Magnus' powerful looking cannon. Thankfully, Bumblebee jumped right back into action within seconds.

"Shit, what are we gonna do?" Sam looked around wildly for any other Autobots. With none in sight, Bumblebee would have to take on the much older mech completely on his own.

"Do you have your phone?" Mikaela asked.

"Yeah, here-"

Practically ripping the cell phone from her fiancé's hand, she dialed the emergency number Lennox had given her after the defeat of the Fallen, so that neither she nor Sam would ever be without NEST back-up. Unfortunately, it looked like Sam's cell phone coverage didn't extend to another planet. Frustrated, Mikaela threw the phone at the ground.

"Well, _that _certainly helped matters…"

In the heat of battle, Bumblebee was careful to make sure he knew exactly where Sam and Mikaela were at all times. He didn't want to incapacitate Ultra Magnus only to learn that he'd stepped on Sam. Then he'd have to offline himself. He was so preoccupied keeping the large bot away from the teens that he forgot about calling for back-up. It wasn't until, out of the corner of his optics, that he saw Mikaela throw a cell phone.

_Optimus, we have a problem._

_Did you find-?_

_It's Ultra Magnus. He's been branded._

The Autobot leader didn't respond. Bumblebee continued to take hit after hit from Magnus, trying to remain on the defensive for as long as possible. After his experience with Cliffjumper and Yellow Rose, he wasn't going to offline another innocent Autobot. He knew that Optimus would take care of things once he arrived.

Within a few minutes, Sam and Mikaela saw Optimus emerge from behind a building. Noting that the humans were safe, he quickly intervened in the ongoing battle. He intercepted a punch from Magnus with ease, even giving orders are the corrupted Autobot tried to shoot him.

"Get Sam and Mikaela out of here. Inform Major Lennox and Ironhide of the situation."

The younger Autobot nodded before retrieving his charges. Then, with one last look at his commander, the young scout turned to go. That was when a dark figure appeared before him. Unlike Ultra Magnus, this bot wore its Decepticon insignia right on its armor.

* * *

A/N: Kind of weak ending, but the next chapter will be a direct continuation of this fight.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. If I did, then I would have the sweetest garage ever.

A/N: Sorry (again) for the delay. School has been, well, school. And, yes, this is another awful fight chapter.

Chapter 21

Bumblebee's circuits whined with the sight before him. As the humans would say, he was trapped between a rock and a hard place. He could either rush Sam and Mikaela away to safety, leaving Optimus to deal with two Decepticons alone, or to help his Prime but abandon his human charges in a war zone. The bulky green and purple Decepticon made the decision for him, firing at him and the precious cargo in his hands.

Depositing Sam and Mikaela in the ruins of a building, he simultaneously fired at the offending Decepticon. It gave him just enough time to make sure that the humans were in a safe spot before he launched himself into the fray. Once both teens had given him a thumbs-up of approval, he started up his special stingers.

As Bumblebee full on tackled his Decepticon foe, Optimus was preoccupied with Ultra Magnus. As his brother in arms assaulted him, he cursed himself for being so blind. Bumblebee had warned him of this possibility, yet he had been so focused on recovering Megatron that he had endangered all of his soldiers. This could have been prevented back on Earth, before Ultra Magnus' brand had been activated.

At present, that fact was the only thing he knew to be certain. Ultra Magnus had been completely normal back on Earth, going so far as to rescue Mikaela and James. Although there was the possibility that their safe return was a ploy to garner the Autobots' trust, it was a tactic the recognizable Ultra Magnus wouldn't have needed. The only logical conclusion was that the brand was only turned on once they'd arrive to their homeworld. No doubt the specific area they were in was broadcasting some sort of signal to Decepticons in the area.

That would also explain the appearance of the Constructicon that Bumblebee was presently beating into slag. Optimus allowed himself a brief moment of pride in seeing the young scout performing so well. Although he had taken on multiple adversaries at once, it definitely helped him in finding a safe way to offline his comrade. Fortunately, millennia of battling side by side had taught him exactly where his friend was weak and vulnerable. Even more fortunate was that the nanites, though effectively having total motor control over Magnus, were unable to access all of his memories, or else his own weaknesses would have been exploited.

From the relative safety of their hidden perch, Sam and Mikaela watched the simultaneous bouts with intense interest. Unable to contact anyone else for backup, they did their best to keep an eye out for any other Transformers, whether Decepticon or Autobot. Even though both Bumblebee and Optimus were clearly holding their own, a third Decepticon might send the fight dangerously out of balance.

On his side of the field, Bumblebee was making short work of his Decepticon. He'd earlier tackled the larger bot to the ground, delivering a paralyzing blow to the mech's knee joint. Thus crippled, the unfortunate Decepticon was faced with a barrage of electrical spikes from Bumblebee's stingers. Eventually, the Decepticon secured a grip on the younger bot, throwing him into the nearest building. Sam and Mikaela steadied themselves against the violent shaking Bee's collision had caused to their hiding spot. The scout quickly scanned the structural integrity of the building before reengaging the Decepticon. Since the building wasn't quite to the point of completely falling apart, he'd trust his humans to be safe there.

Sam, of course, didn't quite agree.

"I think we better move."

"What, and go where?"

"Somewhere safer than here."

"By running through the legs of four battling Transformers? We're safer here," Mikaela countered. "You're such a sissy sometimes."

The frame of the building shook as a loose shot hit the burnt exterior. Sam raised an eyebrow at Mikaela, who sighed in defeat. Holding each other for support, the carefully made their way to the less damaged half of the building, where they would be a little more sheltered. Unfortunately, Cybertronian buildings were built far larger than those on Earth, and their second floor hideaway was too high to jump from.

"Any other bright ideas, Sam?"

Outside, Optimus made a mental note to remember that Sam and Mikaela's organic signatures had moved several yards. He carefully shifted his footing, which caused Magnus to do the same. With their current trajectories, neither teen would be in their line of fire. He sent a silent message informing Bumblebee of the same, unable to tell if the scout had already made his own adjustments.

Certain that the humans were safe, the Autobot commander focused on his current opponent. He knew that a particular weakness Magnus possessed was a tendency to favor his right side. This resulted in an exposed left side, one that Optimus himself had often covered in battle. Yet even though he knew his friend was a threat, it was still difficult to bring himself to attack. Instinct told him that Ultra Magnus was still in there, buried deep beneath the flood of poisonous nanites. But if he wanted to save his friend, he would have to offline him until Ratchet could repair him.

Ultra Magnus suddenly rushed towards him, hunching his shoulders as he did. Optimus tightened his stance. Magnus lowered his head as he collided with the Autobot leader's chest. Straining against the brute force of the blow, Optimus grabbed Magnus' right shoulder in his hand. With a deft turn, he had his friend locked in a vice grip. His free arm transformed into an energon blade, and one swift cut severed a minor energon line under a weak spot of Magnus' armor. The other bot tried to squirm free, but Optimus held him tight, slowly lowering him to the ground. He knew that the leak, though minor, could easily tear into a worse wound if not monitored. Weakened as he was, Optimus was easily able to deactivate Magnus' primary systems and lay the mech gently on the ground.

"Don't worry, soldier," Optimus sighed. "You'll be running again soon enough."

There was a low rumble, and Optimus turned to see that Bumblebee was finishing his own fight. The yellow scout had recovered from his earlier toss by taking an aerial advantage. Jumping from the top of a relatively intact wall, he fired several shots before landing on the Constructicon's back. The mech tried desperately to dislodge him, but the smaller bot had a firm grip around the former's neck. One final sting to the central processor took the Decepticon out completely. Bumblebee met optics with Optimus and simply nodded. Then, he returned his attentions to Sam and Mikaela.

The former was in dire need of assistance. Having grown concerned about the safety of their hiding spot, Sam had tried to climb down the building. Of course, he hadn't anticipated getting his pants caught on a large metal pipe. Mikaela, unable to reach him, was beside herself with laughter. Bumblebee quickly helped his charge down, although the revelation that the pipe had created a hole only caused Mikaela to laugh harder. Optimus helped her reach the ground level silently while Sam's face continued to redden.

"Optimus, are you alright?" Ironhide asked, coming around a corner. Lennox and Epps were at his feet, craning their necks to see the smoldering remains of the Decepticon Bumblebee had taken care of. "I got your transmission and headed right over."

"Thank you," Optimus nodded at his weapon's specialist. "It seems we had it under control already."

Bumblebee, recognizing the compliment, puffed out his chest.

_We are the champions, my friends…_


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

A/N: Okay, for my sanity I've decided to update weekly. Of course, I might do more if I find the time. Otherwise, look for weekend chapters.

Chapter 22

Hidden within a shell of a building, Soundwave inspected the Decepticons before him. All were prostrate before their resurrected leader, Megatron. Oddly, though, he now insisted upon the designation of Galvatron. A minor imperfection, but one that Soundwave was certain he could overcome. Of all the problems caused by the transplant, a name was the very least of his worries. Almost all of Megatron's internal circuits had been damaged and would need to be repaired. Unfortunately, this was a difficult ordeal to begin with, let alone while Optimus Prime and the Autobots were near.

Soundwave sent out orders to the Decepticons, who began to disperse. He would need absolute concentration for the upcoming procedure. Although it would be impossible to make all the necessary corrections, he could at least make Megatron stable, rather than the raving mech he had been in the cave. Ruthlessness was an integral part of Megatron's being, but there had always been some level of control. The Decepticon before him had none, and that made him more dangerous than ever before.

As Soundwave prepared to fix Megatron, the other Decepticons set to work with activating the massive machine that they had been constructing for the past several Earth months. Already a low hum emitted from the supercomputer indicated that it was operational. And, although the various technicians didn't know it, it had already activated one of the branded Cybertronians in the vicinity. Slowly, as more components of the monstrous machine came to life, the signal it created grew as well, spreading over the surface of the planet like a wave.

On the other side of the planet, in the relative safety of the reestablished city of Simfur, dozens of Neutral Cybertronians were unaware of the oncoming wave. Of those that did detect the new, unfamiliar frequency, even less knew the danger it possessed. None knew of the millions of nanites that were resting within their internal systems.

* * *

Sam, after taping his pants with duct tape that they'd found in Bumblebee's glove compartment, looked at the resting form of Ultra Magnus. The purple Decepticon brand was still pulsing, but much weaker than before. Still, it was identical to the ones he had seen on the bodies of Cliffjumper and Yellow Rose. It was disturbing to know that any Autobot, especially one that Optimus Prime himself trusted, could be so easily corrupted. Worse, they had no exact idea as to how long the brands had been in place. Any Autobot who had been a prisoner of war or missing in action was a potential victim and threat.

Next to him, Lennox was questioning Mikaela about Ultra Magnus. Since she had been in the same cell, the major was hoping that she could provide any clues as to when the exact change had occurred. Optimus quickly stepped in, adding his own opinion.

"I have determined that the nanites within Ultra Magnus' spark were only activated upon arriving on Cybertron. No doubt an activation signal is being transmitted from the Decepticon base in this region. Once we locate the base, we can both shut down whatever is controlling the nanites and locate Megatron."

"You sure we can locate the base?" Lennox asked, squinting up at the Autobot leader. "And is it only one device controlling all of the nano-things?"

"Optimus, I'm picking up a faint signal. It's on a lower channel, but it's growing stronger," Ironhide interrupted.

"As I suspected," Optimus nodded. "Can you trace it?"

Ironhide answered with an annoyed growl of Cybertronian. Lennox smirked as he started to radio in his troops for an assault on the Decepticon base. With Ironhide following the signal, it wouldn't be long before they would locate the source.

"Yo, Bee, can we get a lift?" Sam asked, heading over to his guardian. The yellow bot nodded before lifting the two teens onto each shoulder. Leaning closer in, he quickly whispered, "That was a pretty sweet fight."

Bee let out a pleased whistle as he followed Optimus and Ironhide. Behind them, the other Autobots and soldiers had started to arrive, already informed of the situation. As the caravan progressed, more of the Autobots became aware of the signal Ironhide had already sensed. The humans also seemed aware that they were getting closer to the hidden base, preparing their weapons and watching for Decepticons. Even Sam could tell that they were getting close.

Although the area they'd been in had been pretty beat up, the streets were not improving. Sam jumped when a pile of debris tipped over, nearly falling off of Bumblebee. A metal hand kept him secure, but that didn't stop the snicker coming from the other shoulder. Purposefully ignoring his fiancée, Sam focused on the offending pile of garbage. His heart rate had just settled when a sudden movement sent it skyrocketing again.

"Bee-!"

At Sam's cry all the human soldiers quickly raised their guns, forming tight clumps for protection. The Autobots reacted to the humans, although they seemed confused at the teen's concern. They had run scans on the area and determined it to be safe. Yet from the way Sam was clinging to Bumblebee's helmet it appeared they had missed something.

"What'd you see?" Lennox asked. When Sam feebly pointed to the fallen pile all eyes and optics focused on the small thing that was squirming underneath the debris. The reactions from the two species could not have been more different. The Autobots immediately relaxed their posture while the soldiers grew more suspicious. A small being emerged from the rubble, staring back at the wary humans.

"Shoot it, Bee. Shoot it!" Sam hissed, his eyes still glued to the strange little creature. When the Autobot scout started towards the thing, Sam grew more alarmed. "What are you doing? Get away-"

Bumblebee picked up the small creature, examining it in his hand. It squeaked in protest, causing Sam to do the same. To calm the teen, Optimus took the creature away from the scout. He displayed it to Lennox and the soldiers.

"This is a common Cybertronian being. You might say it's a sort of…mouse."

"That is one big ass rat," Epps muttered.

"Is it safe?" Lennox asked, eying the 'mouse' that was nearly the size of his daughter. Ironhide chuckled.

"It's harmless, if you know how to handle it." The large black mech motioned to his cannons. "I've plenty of experience in dealing with rodents."

Optimus, however, preferred a humane way of dealing with the pest. Reaching over a building, he released the creature. Then, he headed back to where Ironhide was waiting at the front of the column. Sam, still uneasy about the explanation, couldn't help but grow red when he heard wheezing coming from Bee.

"It was an honest mistake. Seriously. How was I supposed to know it was a mouse?"

* * *

In the Decepticon base, all activity had ceased. A large monitor showed various locales on Cybertron. The wave of a mechanized finger had shrunk all the screens to accommodate a new video feed. The images being relayed were that of a 'harmless' drone, depicting the progress of the Autobots and fleshlings.

Soundwave studied the images. The Prime hadn't realized that his troops were now being observed. Yet another advantage to this day. Although the Autobots were headed in the general direction of their base, they now had the tactical advantage. An ambush would easily be arranged within a few minutes.

"Decepticons, mobilize."


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. I do own a kitten calendar.

A/N: My first batch of essays and exams are out of the way. Hooray for free time. Boo for battle scenes.

Chapter 23

Major Lennox was careful to keep both eyes wide open as he passed through the ruined streets of Cybertron. Sam's little outburst had put all the human soldiers on edge, even though the Autobots seemed mildly amused by the teen's fears. For him, it was another reminder of the many dangers the alien world held. He had only been on the planet twice before, and both times he had been surrounded by Autobots in the restored city of Simfur. Now they were in an area he didn't know and didn't care to know.

Every intersection was a potential trap. Each bombed out building could hide an entire Decepticon regiment. Worse, he could now see why Megatron so often compared humans to insects. Everything towered over the human soldiers here. This was the Transformers world, and Lennox had serious doubts as to how much help a few Sabot rounds would actually help in this situation. On Earth they had safe places to fall back on. Here, the closest help was on the other side of the planet with no idea that they were even there.

With every step, Lennox could sense they were getting closer to wherever the Decepticons were hiding out. Every Autobot was fully alert, keeping their weapons primed and ready. Bumblebee was slowly making his way towards the back of the column, another sure sign that they were getting closer to danger. With Sam and Mikaela with him, he wouldn't be able to fight on the front. His role was back to that of guardian.

"I don't like this," Epps said, appearing at the major's side. He was whispering, as if that would keep the giant alien robots from hearing him. Still, the Autobots usually stopped whispering when humans lowered their voices. Usually.

"Really? You have a complaint?"

"We're going to raid a Decepticon base, with no idea where they are or how many there are. We have limited troops, no back-up, and I got a bad feeling about this."

"Of course you do," Lennox said, rolling his eyes at his friend. "This isn't exactly an ideal situation. But we really don't have anything better to do, now do we?"

"I just can't believe that this is happening."

"What?"

"A manhunt for Megatron. I thought we were done with this after his whole 'rebirth' or 'respark' thing."

Lennox sighed. "He is Megatron."

"I don't care who he is. He's a pain in the-"

An explosion interrupted the sergeant. Lennox swung around to see a fire had suddenly started on the building behind him. Several smaller explosions began to rock the ground around him. Through the sudden smoke, Lennox could make out at least two shapes, presumably Decepticons, flying above the now fully destroyed street. The Autobots were already blasting back, while his soldiers ran for cover. Securing a position behind a good pile of rubble, Lennox searched the scene.

He could now make out three Decepticons, two above and one coming down the street. Bumblebee was squaring off with the latter, who was now blocking the road back to the space bridge they'd gone through. Lennox could just make out Sam and Mikaela running towards him through the shifting smoke. Two soldiers quickly secured the teens, pulling them behind their temporary cover.

"I told you," Epps shouted between shots, "I had a bad feeling!"

* * *

Slicing through a Decepticon's arm, Optimus scanned around him on the newly created battlefield. Ironhide had taken on the flying Decepticon, continuously blasting the skies. Bumblebee was tackling a heavily-built Decepticon at the rear of the flank. The soldiers, including Sam and Mikaela, were safe behind what was a good-sized pile of debris that was now being defended by the Twins. The only thing he didn't know is where the three Decepticons had come from.

Somehow, three Decepticons had managed to completely take them by surprise. Since the incident with the glitch-mouse, every bot and human had been hyper vigilant. For the Decepticons to have gotten past their defenses so easily was disturbing. At least it confirmed that they were close to the base.

Mystery aside, Optimus focused on the Decepticon foe before him. The mech had two cannons, like Ironhide, but almost none of the expert control. New additions, it would seem. That would explain the Decepticon's clumsiness. Optimus was quick to take advantage of the mech's cumbersome moves. He easily used one of his energon blades to block a cannon shot, redirecting the energy blast into the sky. His second blade swiftly cut the through one of the mech's legs, almost completely severing it.

Collapsing on his maimed limb, the Decepticon attempted one final shot at the Autobot commander. He never got the chance. Optimus had easily run his energon blade through the Decepticon's head, ending his suffering permanently. Retracting his blades, Optimus turned to see how the others had faired.

Ironhide was easily enjoying his fight. The Aerial Decepticon was continually trying to blast the shielded humans into oblivion, getting closer to the ground with each turn. Ironhide was blocking him shot for shot, using his more powerful cannons from keeping anything from getting too close to the soldiers. The Decepticon, growing frustrated from being thwarted, was growing more reckless in an attempt to destroy the humans. His attention was focused on Ironhide, rather than the Twins who had each climbed onto the rooftops of the nearby buildings.

On the Decepticon's next volley, the two jumped from their positions and completely covered the flying bot. There was a screech of protest as the Decepticon tried to dislodge his new passengers, but the Twins kept a firm grip. As the mech began pulling acrobatic stunts to remove the two, each Twin took one of their blades and set to work on dismembering the bot. It was only after the Decepticon began plummeting to the ground that the two seemed to even realize how high up on the air they were.

Back on the ground, Bumblebee was holding his own against his foe. He constantly ducked beneath the mech's massive arms, then delivering a series of shots to the exposed underside the Decepticon presented. Although the young scout was clearly winning, he wasn't doing it fast enough for Ironhide. The weapon's specialist delivered a double blast from his cannon to the Decepticon's head while the Twins crashed to the ground behind the offlined bot.

The humans slowly emerged from their hiding spot, careful to avoid falling debris from the former Aerial Bot. Lennox quickly went to join Optimus, who was now carefully scanning the surrounding area to make sure no more Decepticons were in hiding. Recognizing what he was doing, the major stayed silent until Optimus motioned to him.

"They're here."


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Otherwise I would be in T3, which films in my city tomorrow.

A/N: I know I haven't updated in…well, an embarrassingly long time. School never fails to kill my muse. To apologize, I will attempt to write a battle scene worthy of forgiveness…but you all know my fight quality.

Chapter 24

Optimus Prime was already considering every possible battle scenario that he was about to face. The surprise attack meant that they had reached the Decepticon base, and as long as a single member of their group could disable whatever was transmitting signals to the nanites, the battle would be a victory. It wasn't the most optimistic way of processing, but it was far more hopeful than what awaited the Autobot leader in the upcoming fight. Although he had complete trust in the soldiers, human and mech, in his company, there was one task that he alone would face.

Megatron.

Whatever the Decepticons had managed to do to their former leader, Optimus knew it was his duty – perhaps even his destiny – to stop his brother. It had always been the worst part of the war, the most personal for the Autobot leader.

Optimus knew there was the slim chance that there was some sort of misunderstanding, that Megatron was being used as a pawn and not behind the most recent Decepticon plot. But deep in his spark he knew that this was not the Megatron he had fought with for thousands of years. The last time he had encountered Megatron was in a nursery on Earth, as Hot Rod. Optimus has been full of hope that there was any chance at all of saving his brother. His brother had died too many times at his own hand for the cycle to be repeated again. He just wanted to go back to a time before war, before his own brother reviled his presence, before he knew what it felt like to kill.

Letting out a weary sigh, Optimus knew that he had no choice in the matter. He would deal with Megatron alone.

The Decepticon base was weakly fortified. No doubt they had incorrectly assumed that their remote location would keep them safe. During the previous skirmish, Ratchet had been the one to realize the source of the transmission came from a nearby building. From the outside tt was almost completely intact, setting it apart from the neighboring wreckage. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, recovered from their encounter with the Jet, were racing to get into the exposed base first. For once, Ironhide was also in on it. Lacking the speed of the Twins the weapons' specialist decided that part of him would get there first – a blast from his favorite cannon.

The human soldiers, still in a protective semicircle, stayed where they had coverage. Major Lennox was reluctant to move his men forward, as they'd most likely get in the way at this point. A full robot battle royale was about to unfold, and there was no way in Hell he was letting one of his guys was going to get caught underfoot. Instead, he motioned for Epps and the others to aim their weapons at the hole Ironhide had created.

"Aim for anything that ain't friendly," Lennox ordered.

"If we can still tell the difference," Epps muttered.

The major ignored his friend since his eyes already locked on the shadows that were moving within the base. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, resembling metallic blurs, had already thrown themselves into the base. Ironhide wasn't far behind, still blasting the ever living slag out of the building itself. Optimus and Ratchet were both last, no doubt anticipating any escapees. Only Bumblebee stayed behind, hovering in front of the humans to ensure that nothing got to his charge. Even after all the fights he'd already been in, Lennox could tell that the scout was still itching for some action. Sam, it seemed, knew it too.

"Bee, we're fine here. They need you more than we do," the teen said, his voice calm amongst the explosions. Boy and bot exchanged a look before a helmet broke their eye contact. Or, Lennox corrected himself, optical receptor to eye contact.

In Simfur, the fighting was worse. The Decepticons had only managed to successfully install their brands on a third of the refugees. Neutrals who had once left Cybertron to avoid fighting were now engaged in combat with those that lacked the mark of Decepticon loyalty. Although none of these bots had the training or weapons of the fighting factions, they were more dangerous than any Decepticon or Autobot.

Since they lacked proper weapons, the various bots were destroying themselves to fight one another. The branded were tearing their own limbs off rather than take the practically infinitesimal time it would take to reconfigure their forms into battle modes. Energon was freely flowing over the formerly restored streets, and the few Autobots who guarded the space bridge terminal were suddenly overwhelmed by those trying to flee.

The few unbranded Neutrals who tried to fight back were quickly overwhelmed and began to take shelter in whatever buildings were nearest. Barricades were swiftly put up by the most rational of the bots, while others attempted to send out emergency communications. Unfortunately, the branded had already acted under Decepticon orders and destroyed relaying stations. The only thing being transmitted in the entire city was the now perceptible humming of the nanites signal.

The branded ganged together in their vicious attacks. While some focused in gaining entry into the fortified buildings, others hunted down the unfortunate sparks who were also locked out. The Autobots in the city were the only defense for the stragglers, and despite their valiant efforts they knew the tides would soon turn against them.

Although Soundwave had perfected the method of branding, he had failed to realize one very important flaw: the brands were on the spark. Sparks that normally weren't visible. That meant that several of the branded ended up fighting one another with the same ruthlessness they used on the unbranded "enemies".

This was not warfare. Autobots soldiers and Decepticon soldiers, no matter how different their sides respective goals, knew the rules of the battlefield. Autobots sometimes offered mercy while Decepticons offered a quick demise. Both fought for values they believed to be right. The branded had no such long-term ideals. The nanites that worked through their sparks simply relayed the message to destroy all those that were not also marked. No mercy would be offered, no explanation at all. Yet worst of all, no quick deaths. By staying out of the war, the Neutrals had no idea of how to efficiently kill. Many had never struck another Cybertronian. Now, the branded were finding the fatal blows difficult to deliver. Not out of hesitation, but inexperience. Several victims of the branded were barely aware of their own sparks, so faint were their life signs.

It wouldn't take long for the city, and any chance at peace for Cybertron, to be completely destroyed.

Optimus hesitated. No human would have noticed, but to his fellow Cybertronians the pause was noticeable. Fortunately, Ratchet was the only one close enough to notice the Prime's pause. The others were already taking on Decepticons, or trying to destroy the supercomputer that logically was the source of the nanites signal.

Ironhide had immediately tackled Soundwave, blasting away at tentacles as he went. Sideswipe was dealing with a dark colored Decepticon while Sunstreaker was taking on an orange femme. The confined space of the base kept them from using their usual speed tricks, but they each managed in the cramped quarters. It helped that every other blast from Ironhide was creating more space in the ruined building. The wall he had previously blasted a hole in was now more open, and the ceiling was beginning to crumble from the lack of support.

Bumblebee took advantage of Ironhide's "door" to tackle two more Decepticons away from the supercomputer. Ratchet took over their stations, scanning the system in an attempt to stop it. While he was engrossed with understanding the technology, the yellow scout kept any Decepticons from interrupting him.

Almost every bot was engaged in combat save two – Optimus Prime and a silver mech with clawed hands. Crimson optics locked on to the Autobot and narrowed. Optimus readied himself, still uncertain. He had to know the truth.

"Megatron-"

"No," the mech interrupted. "I am Galvatron."

That was all Optimus needed to hear to make his choice.


End file.
